LIB  RARY 

OF  THE 

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PRIVATE  LIBRARY 


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JAMES    HARVEY   TUTTLE,    D.D. 


REV.  JAMES 
HARVEY  TUTTLE,  D.D. 


A  Mtmaxv 


BY 


MARION   DANIEL  SHUTTER 

Minister  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  Minneapolis 


* 


BOSTON 
UNIVERSALIST  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 

1905 


COPYRIGHT,  1905, 
By  UNIVERSALIST  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 


Published  September,  1905 


Stanbopc  press 

.    QILSON     COMPANY 
BOSTON,      U.S.A. 


i/^ 


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GEORGE  MONTGOMERY  TUTTLE 


*'  The  true,  faithful  minister  has  rewards  as  rich  as  his 
position  is  difficult.  Outside  of  the  family,  there  is  no  relation 
more  tender,  more  beautiful,  more  sure  of  sweet  and  lasting 
friendship  than  that  between  the  pastor  and  his  congregation. 
When  he  has  succeeded  in  showing  himself  approved  of  God, 
and  has  justly  earned  the  full  confidence  of  his  people,  the 
blessings  of  Heaven  are  sure  to  fall  in  copious  showers  upon 
his  life,  however  thickly  set  with  care  it  may  be,  and  the  loving 
ones  who  gather  about  and  cheer  him  in  his  earthly  work,  will 
serve  as  an  earnest  of  the  voice  he  will  one  day  hear  on  the 
other  side  of  the  grave,  saying  unto  him,  '  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord.'  " 

Rev.  James  H.  Tottle,  D.D.,  at  the  Ordination 
of  E.  W.  Pierce,  Owatonna,  Minn. 


CONTENTS 


I 

THE  EARLY  LIFE   AND   THE  OPENING   MINISTRY 

Ancestry  —  Childhood,  Youth,  Call  to  the  Ministry  —  First 
Sermon  —  License  to  Preach  —  Richfield  Springs  —  Ordina- 
tion—  Fulton  :  Marriage,  Persecutions,  Triumphs 1 

n 

ROCHESTER:  THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY 

Founding  of  the  Church  —  George  W.  Montgomery  — The  Call 
to  Rochester  —  The  New  Pastor  and  the  Retiring  One  — 
Theological  Controversies  —  Reform  Movements  —  An  Im- 
portant Meeting —  Sermons  on  "  Human  Life  "  —  Birth  of 
Younger  Son  —  The  Wife  and  Mother  —  Close  of  Pastorate 

—  After  Many  Days 15 

m 

THE  CHICAGO   MINISTRY :  PERIOD  OF   THE  CIVIL   WAR 

Permanent  Organization  —  Regular  Services  Began  —  The 
Coming  of  Mr.  Tuttle  —  First  Sunday  in  Chicago  —  Installa- 
tion Services  —  Building  of  House  of  "Worship  —  The  Build- 
ing Completed  —  The  Civil  War  —  A  Sunday-school 
Drill  Room  —  The  Parting  Scene  —  Sword  Presentation  — 
How  a  Young  Soldier  Remembered  —  In  Labors  Abundant 

—  Progress  Through  Difficulties 38 


VI  CONTENTS 

IV 

MINNEAPOLIS  :     BEGmNING    OP    A   TWENTY-FIVE    YEARS' 
PASTORATE 

Miiiueapolis  in  1866  —  Pirst  Universalist  Society  —  Rev.  I)ol- 
phus  Skinner  and  Rev.  J.  W.  Keyes —  Call  to  Mr.  Tuttle  — 
The  New  Pastorate  —  The  First  Church  Building -The 
First  Organ  —  Increasing  Prosperity  —  Preaching  of  Mr. 
Tuttle 61 

V 

SUNSHINE   AND   SHADOW 

Visit  to  a  Logging-camp  —  Some  Forest  Giants  —  The  Family 
Residence  —  An  Incident  of  the  Time  —  Harriet  Merriman 
Tuttle — Recollections  of  Friends  —  The  Voyage  in  Hope  — 
The  Message  of  Despair  —  At  Rest  in  Rosehill — A  Pil- 
grimage to  Dresden 76 

VI 

A    YEAR    OF    TRAVEL 

Leave  of  Absence  —  Pulpit  Supplies  —  On  the  Atlantic  —  From 
London  to  the  Rhine  —  The  Rhine  and  the  Mississippi  — 
Berlin  and  Dresden — Munich;  Kaulbach,  Dollinger — Rome: 
Preaching  in  the  Eternal  City  —  "William  and  Mary  Howitt 

—  Florence:  Theodore  Parker — The  Holy  Land  —  On  the 
Mount  of  Olives  —  The  Return:  Sv^itzerland ,  France,  the 
British  Isles — The  American  Minister  to  France — Home 
Again  —  Sunday  Services  —  Home  Ties  —  The  Great  Lessons 

—  Waiting  for  his  Coming 93 

VII 

THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER 

Lectures  by  the  Pastor — Completion  and  Dedication  of  the 
Church  —  Dedicated  as  Church  of  the  Redeemer — Dr. 
Miner's  Sermon  —  Doctor  of  Divinity  —  Across  tlic  Plains  — 
A  False  Alarm  —  Custer's  War-Horse  —  Ice-Water  in  the 
Desert  —  A  Traveler's  Description  of  the  Church  —  Church 
Life  and  Activity 114 


CONTENTS  -VU 

VIII 

THE   GENERAL   CONVENTION 

Importance  of  the  Event  —  Woman's  Centenary  Association 

—  President's  Address  —  Occasional  Sermon  —  Sabbath 
Worship  —  Influence  of  Science  —  New  Questions  —  Report 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  —  Dr.  Tuttle  in  California  —  Recol- 
lections of  Starr  King  —  A  Disciple  of  Otis  Skinner-^ 
Preaching  at  Riverside  —  Conclusion liifS 

IX 

A  PERIOD  OF    EXPANSION:   THE    SECOND,  OR    ALL  SOULS', 
CHURCH 

First  Universalist  Society  in  Minnesota  —  Two  Important  Res- 
olutions—  Founding  of  the  Second  Church  —  Rev.  L.  I). 
Boynton  —  Dedication  of  the  Second,  or  All  Souls',  Chm-ch 

—  Subsequent  History  —  Twentieth  Anniversary  —  Letter 
to  Mrs.  Alcott 143 

X 

A  CONFERENCE  WITH  DR.  TUTTLE  AND  ITS  RESULTS 

Resignation  of  Writer  from  Olivet  Baptist  Church  —  A  Letter 
from  Dr.  Tuttle  —  A  Conference  with  Dr.  Tuttle  —  A 
Second  Meeting  with  Dr.  Tuttle  —  First  Sermon  in  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer  —  The  Decision  Reached  —  Death 
of  James  C.  Tuttle  —  Tributes  to  James  C.  Tuttle — A  Sign 
of  the  Millennium  —  A  Winter  in  the  South  —  A  Trip  to 
Cuba —  Letter  from   Thomasville 154 

XI 

ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES 

Destroyed  by  Fire  —  Courtesy  of  Other  Churches  —  Services  in 
the  Grand  Opera  House  —  The  Emblem  of  Hope  —  Re- 
building the  Temple  —  Some  New  Features  —  The  Reded i- 
cation  —  A  Second  Visit  to  California  —  In  the  Land  of 
the  Midnight  Sun  —  The  Midnight  Sunrise  —  The  Sixty- 
sixth  Birthday 173 


viii  CONTENTS 

XII 

COMPLETION    OF  A  TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS'  PASTORATE 

Resignation  —  Pastor  Emeritus  —  The  Celebration  ;  Dr.  At- 
wood's  Sermon  —  Remarks  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  Monday  Evening 
—  Tlie  Speeches  —  The  Letters  —  The  Presentation  —  The 
Marble  Font 192 

XIII 

THE  THIRD,   OR  TUTTLE,  CHITKCH 

Dr.  Tuttle's  New  Plans  —  Sale  of  Cornell  Lots  and  New  Pur- 
chase —  Organization  and  History  of  Third  Society  — 
The  Leadership  of  Dr.  Tuttle — Laying  a  Corner-stone  — 
Completion  and  Dedication  of  the  Building  —  Subsequent 
History  of  the  Tuttle  Church 209 

XIV 

LOOKING   TOWARDS   THE  SUNSET 

In  New  York  —  Reminiscences  of  Dr.  Chapin  —  Dr.  Eaton  — 
Heber  Newton  —  Anecdote  of  Robert  Collyer  —  Beginning 
of  the  End  —  Trip  to  Alaska  —  Church  Reception— Review- 
ing the  Summer— A  Bundle  of  Letters — Dr.  Eaton's 
Funeral  —  The  Second  Stroke  —  The  Last  Year  —  Letters  to 
Mrs.  Hallowell,  Mrs.  Shutter,  and  Miss  Cleveland  —  The 
Last  Letter  —  At  the  Gates 224 

XV 

BEYOND  THE  GATES 

Death  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  The  News  in  Minneapolis  —  Remains 
Brought  to  Minneapolis  for  Burial  —  Funeral  Services  in 
the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  —  Interment  at  Lakewood  —  A 
Prayer 249 


CONTENTS  IX 

XVI 

"THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER" 

Kingship  of  Character  —  Firm  Religious  Faith  —  Broad  Sym- 
pathies —  Loyalty  to  his  own  Church  —  Progressive  Spirit 

—  Conclusion 263 

APPENDIX 

Letter  of  License  —  Certificate  of  Ordination  —  A  Pupil  of 
Dr.  Sawyer  —  Letter  from  Mrs.  Montgomery  —  Dedication 
of  Lakewood  Cemetery  —  Dedication  of  Millers'  Monument 

—  Funeral  Service  of  Rand  and  Coykendall  Families  — 
Letter  to  Thomas  Lowry  —  Letters  of  Congratulation  on 
Twenty-fifth  Anniversary:  from  President  Northrop,  Dr. 
Miner,  Dr.  Cantwell,  Robert  Collyer,  Dr.  Sawyer,  F.  0.  Hol- 
man  —  Letter  of  Dr.  Tuttle  on  Death  of  Father  Throop  — 
Lake  Minnetonka  —  Letter  to  Mrs.  Taylor  —  Letter  to 
Rev.  A.  R.  Tillinghast 276 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 


PoHTHAiT  OF  Dr.  Tuttle Frontispiece 

PoBTBAiT  OF  Mr8.  Tuttle facing  page      77 

Chubcu  of  the  Rbdeemek,  1876 facing  page     116 

FiCTUBES  FBOH  LoAFDEN facing  page    225 

PiCTDRES  FROM  LoAFDEN facing  page    249 

Chubch  of  the  Redeemer,  1903 facing  page    263 


PREFACE 


At  the  completion  of  his  twenty-fifth  year  as 
pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  Dr.  Tuttle 
pubhshed  a  book  entitled,  The  Field  and  the  Fruity 
containing  a  historical  account  of  the  Church  and 
twelve  selected  sermons.  While  the  writer  of  the 
present  volume  has  sometimes  referred  to  the  his- 
tory, his  illustrations  of  the  style  and  thought  of 
Dr.  Tuttle  have  been  drawn  from  other  sources; 
not  from  those  twelve  sermons.  He  did  not  wish 
to  repeat  what  is  already  in  possession  of  many  of 
his  readers  or  easily  accessible.  So  he  has  gathered, 
from  scrap-books,  files  of  old  newspapers,  and 
pamphlets  now  out  of  print,  extracts  from  sermons, 
addresses  and  other  articles,  which  he  has  used  to 
show  Dr.  Tuttle's  literary  style  —  always  grace- 
ful, often  illuminated  by  poetic  imagery  and  gentle 
humor.  Especially  has  the  writer  employed  for 
the  closing  chapters,  materials  from  the  Doctor's 
remarkable  private  letters  to  friends,  after  the  pub- 
lic work  was  done  and  the  tongue  could  no  longer 
utter  the  promptings  of  the  heart.  These  are  pub- 
lished because  they  reveal  the  man  —  his  inner 
Ufe,  his  interests,  his  patience  under  physical  limi- 


xii  PREFACE 

tations,  his  last  messages  to  those  he  loved.  No 
pictures  of  his  closing  years  could  be  more  beau- 
tiful than  these  which  —  all  unconsciously  —  he 
sketched  with  his  own  trembling  hand.  The 
author  of  this  book  wishes  to  acknowledge  his 
indebtedness  to  all  who  have  so  kindly  placed  at 
his  disposal  the  sources  of  information  —  Church 
Records,  Memorial  Addresses,  Private  Letters,  and 
Personal  Recollections  —  from  which  the  following 
pages  have  been  drawn.  It  should  be  explained, 
perhaps,  as  the  Introduction  is  dated  from  "  Loaf- 
den,"  that  the  work  of  gathering  the  materials  was 
done  in  Dr.  Tuttle's  cottage,  during  the  summer  of 
1904,  and  there  the  first  draft  of  this  memoir  was 
written. 


INTRODUCTION 


The  task  of  compiling  and  writing  these  pages 
has  been  a  labor  of  love.  I  was  associated  with 
Dr.  Tuttle  and  his  work  for  about  seventeen  years. 
It  was  a  line  he  wrote  me  when  I  separated  from 
the  Baptist  Church,  that  led  to  my  finally  becom- 
ing his  assistant  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  — 
tlius  deciding  the  bent  and  aim  of  my  efforts  from 
the  day  when  the  doors  of  the  old  church  closed 
behind  me,  until  now. 

Through  all  these  years  I  have  known  him 
intimately,  and  have  loved  him  with  an  affection 
that  grew  deeper  and  deeper  to  the  day  when  he 
fell  asleep.  A  more  unselfish  soul  never  blos- 
somed out  of  the  Eternal  Love  to  bless  the  world. 
When  he  began  to  lay  aside  the  burdens  of  his 
ministry  upon  my  shoulders,  he  used  to  say,  "  I 
know  that  I  must  decrease  and  you  must  increase. 
I  would  not  have  it  otherwise."  He  was  anxious 
that  his  friends  should  be  my  friends ;  that  his 
supporters  in  the  Society  should  be  mine ;  that 
the  great  work  he  had  begun  and  developed  should 
go  successfully  on.  How  much  he  did  to  smooth 
my  pathway  during  those  first  years  in  my  new 

3dii 


xiv  INTRODUCTION 

relationship  !  We  had  differences  of  opinion  and 
of  method.  These  we  used  to  discuss  frankly  and 
freely.  There  was  no  hedging  or  trimming.  There 
were  consequently  no  misunderstandings.  When 
we  could  not  agree  in  our  opinions,  we  agreed  in 
our  differences.  In  practical  plans  of  usefulness, 
I  deferred  to  his  larger  experience  and  to  his  more 
intimate  knowledge  of  conditions  and  people.  The 
event,  in  most  instances,  showed  him  to  be  right. 

I  was  with  him  in  his  sorrows  and  tried  to  com- 
fort him  in  his  bereavements.  I  knew  his  momen- 
tary despondency,  his  deep  and  unshaken  faith ; 
the  sympathies  that  were  wide  as  human  needs, 
the  aspirations  that  were  high  as  heaven.  I  saw 
him  complete  his  quarter  of  a  century's  service 
with  the  people  he  loved  and  who  loved  him ;  and 
then  I  saw  him,  declining  to  rest  upon  the  laurels 
of  those  years,  go  down  among  a  struggling  hand- 
ful of  people,  put  something  of  his  own  spirit  and 
enthusiasm  into  them,  and  stay  with  them  until 
he  had  built  another  temple,  into  whose  corner- 
stone their  gratitude  carved  his  name.  He  meant 
to  have  done  the  same  thing  for  another  society ; 
but  a  sudden  stroke  fell  upon  him,  and  that  kind 
of  work  was  ended.  I  saw  him  rally  his  energies 
for  a  different  struggle,  and  so  far  conquer  that 
he  reentered  the  circle  of  his  friends,  enjoyed  the 
delights  of  travel,  and  set  about  turning  an  un- 
promising tract  of  land  upon  the  Lake  into  a  gar- 


INTRODUCTION  XV 

den.  The  stroke  was  repeated,  and  the  voice  that 
had  charmed  and  instructed  thousands  became 
strangely  inarticulate.  But  his  plans  went  on.  In 
rain  and  sunshine  he  superintended  and  directed 
the  work  upon  his  place  at  the  Lake,  turning  a 
swamp  and  wilderness  into  a  thing  of  beauty.  But 
he  was  still  and  above  all  a  minister  and  messen- 
ger of  God,  and  even  when  his  lips  could  not  per- 
form their  complete  office  any  longer,  his  pen  wrote 
messages  of  cheer  and  comfort. 

When  I  knew  that  I  should  write  this  sketch  of 
my  beloved  friend  and  pastor,  I  wanted  to  come 
to  this  spot  which  he  beautified,  and  where  I  have 
spent  so  many  precious  hours  in  his  company.  It 
seemed  fitting  that  if  I  was  to  write  of  him,  I 
should  do  it  here.  I  felt  that  I  should  get  my 
inspiration  from  these  scenes  that  blossom  with  so 
many  tender  and  fragrant  associations.  One  year 
ago,  for  the  last  time,  we  walked  these  paths  to- 
gether. It  would  not  seem  strange  if  his  form 
should  reappear  —  if  one  should  see  him  where 
he  sat  among  the  trees,  or  standing  upon  the  rus- 
tic bridge  to  watch  the  stream  that  flowed  beneath, 
or  gazing  with  all  the  delight  of  a  child  upon  the 
lilies  in  the  water-garden.  And  who  knows  but 
that  his  presence  invisible  hovers  over  this  scene 
to-day  ?  At  any  rate,  here  it  is  that  my  work  has 
been  done  —  how  feebly  and  inadequately  I  know 
full  well ;  but  better  than  I  could  have  done  it 


XVI  INTRODUCTION 

anywhere  else.  I  now  read  the  pages  over,  and 
feel  the  injustice  they  do  by  falling  short.  The 
description  seems  cold  and  lifeless,  compared  with 
the  reality  I  knew  and  which  has  stamped  its  im- 
age so  deeply  upon  my  heart.  I  only  know  I 
loved  him,  and  out  of  that  love  I  have  written ; 
and  I  am  sure  that  the  charity  which  forgave  so 
many  of  my  shortcomings  and  blunders  here,  will 
not  fail  me  in  that  higher  life  to  which  he  has 
risen. 


c^^^>uk.-J:^^7^oa^^ 


LoAFDEN,  Lake  Minnetonka, 
August,  1904 


JAMES   H.  TUTTLE 


CHAPTER   I 

THE   EARLY   LIFE   AND   OPENING   MINISTRY 

Ancestry  —  Childhood,  Youth,  Call  to  the  Ministry  —  First 
Sermon  —  License  to  Preach  —  Richfield  Springs,  Ordina- 
tion —  Fulton,  Marriage,  Persecutions,  Triumphs. 

This  is  a  biographical  sketch  of  one  who  cared 
to  be  known  only  as  a  Christian  minister;  who 
felt  that  there  was  no  calling  more  high  and 
holy,  no  title  more  honorable.  Such  a  sketch  is 
not  easy  to  write.  Vast  as  the  influence  of  its 
subject  may  have  been,  there  is  usually  little  of 
outward  incident,  less  that  is  in  any  way  striking 
or  spectacular.  It  is  easy  to  trace  the  career  of 
one  who  has  builded  in  the  outward  and  material. 
The  bridge,  the  railroad,  the  warehouse  —  these 
can  be  seen.  The  work  of  the  statesman  can  be 
fairly  measured.  The  treaty  he  has  concluded,  the 
policy  he  has  inaugurated,  the  bill  with  which  his 
name  is  identified  —  these  may  be  pointed  out. 
But  of  the  life  of  a  Christian  minister  one  can 
speak,  at  best,  in  vague  and  general  terms.  His 
biographer  may  tell  of  the  ideas  that  he  proclaimed, 

1 


2  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

or  of  a  church  that  was  builded  during  his  min- 
istry ;  but,  after  all,  his  work  is  so  largely  an  in- 
fluence that  touches  individual  hearts,  that  its 
complete  record  is  on  high,  and  will  be  unfolded 
only  in  the  day  when  we  shall  see  "  eye  to  eye  and 
face  to  face." 

ANCESTRY 

James  Harvey  Tuttle  was  born  at  Salisbury, 
Herkimer  County,  New  York,  July  27,  1824. 
His  father  was  Ransom  Tuttle,  a  farmer  well 
known  throughout  all  that  region  for  his  integrity 
and  sterling  worth.  His  mother  was  Ethena  Ellis. 
He  was  one  of  a  family  of  eleven  children,  all  but 
one  of  whom  grew  up  to  manhood  and  woman- 
hood. William  died  in  1828,  at  the  age  of  eleven. 
On  the  father's  side,  the  family  are  direct  descen- 
dants of  William  and  Elizabeth  Tuttle  who  came 
over  from  Gravesend  to  Boston  on  the  "  Planter," 
in  1635,  and  subsequently  removed  to  New  Haven. 
The  '♦  homestead  "  which  William  Tuttle  purchased 
of  Joshua  Atwater  was  sold,  in  1717,  to  the 
trustees  of  Yale  College,  who  immediately  began 
the  erection  upon  it  of  the  first  college  building. 
The  oldest  buildings  of  the  institution  still  stand 
upon  this  plot  of  ground,  which  was  the  only 
land  owned  by  the  college  for  nearly  thirty  years. 
It  is  worthy  of  note  that  over  four  hundred  de- 
scendants of   WilKam  Tuttle  have  graduated  at 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  OPENING  MINISTRY       3 

Yale.  A  pleasant  story  of  this  ancestor  has  been 
preserved.  While  serving  as  constable,  in  1664, 
a  young  girl  was  charged  with  pilfering  from  her 
master  and  from  others,  among  other  things  some 
liquoi-s.  She  tried  to  implicate  Mercy  Tuttle 
(the  young  daughter  of  the  constable)  in  the 
crime,  by  saying  that  Mercy  met  her  at  Goodman 
Thorpe's  and  drank  some  of  the  liquor.  The  child 
denied  the  charge  and  it  was  proved  false.  The 
girl's  crime  was  therefore  aggravated  by  false- 
hood. Before  sentence  was  pronounced,  William 
Tuttle,  having  liberty  to  speak,  arose  and  ad- 
dressed the  court,  and  said,  "  the  young  girl's  sin 
was  very  great,  yet  he  did  much  pity  her,  and  he 
hoped  the  court  would  deal  leniently  with  her  and 
put  her  in  some  pious  family  where  she  could 
enjoy  the  means  of  grace  for  her  soul's  good." 
The  court,  in  consideration  of  this  appeal,  said 
that  "  her  punishment  should  be  as  light  as  com- 
ported with  a  proper  sense  of  the  heinousness  of 
her  sin,"  and  so  sentenced  her  "  to  be  publicly 
and  severely  whipped  to-morrow  after  lecture." 
The  descendant  of  William  Tuttle  who  relates 
this  incident  says :  "  It  is  a  gratification  to  find 
that  our  ancestor's  ideas  about  the  public  whip- 
ping-post as  a  means  of  grace  or  as  an  instru- 
mentality for  the  reformation  of  young  girls,  were 
somewhat  in  advance  of  his  time."'    The  "quality 

*  The  Tuttle  Family,  by  Geo.  Frederick  Tuttle,  published  by 
Tuttle  and  Company,  Rutland,  Vt.,  1883. 


4  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

of  mercy  "  and  sympathy  in  the  nature  of  William 
Tuttle  seems  to  have  been  transmitted  through  the 
generations  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

EARLY     LIFE 

The  childhood  and  youth  of  James  Tuttle 
were  passed  much  as  the  childhood  and  youth  of 
other  farmers'  boys.  He  worked  upon  the  farm 
in  summer  and  attended  the  district  school  in 
winter.  He  was  a  diligent  student,  and  soon  be- 
came competent  to  teach  a  district  school  himself. 
He  spent  more  than  a  year  in  the  Fairfield  Acad- 
emy and  two  years  at  the  Clinton  Liberal  Insti- 
tute. Plans  were  formed  for  attending  Harvard 
University,  but  they  were  never  carried  out.  But 
from  his  youth  down  to  the  day  of  his  death, 
James  Tuttle  was  a  most  faithful  and  painstaking 
student.  Few  men  were  better  informed  than  he. 
His  active  mind  searched  every  department  of 
knowledge.  He  was  familiar  with  church  history 
and  doctrine  ;  he  was  acquainted  with  the  develop- 
ments of  modern  science ;  he  was  a  lover  of  all 
that  was  best  in  literature.  In  the  completest 
sense  of  the  phrase,  he  was  an  educated  man. 

Religiously,  James  Tuttle  was  brought  up  a 
Baptist;^  but  when  quite  young  he  changed  his 

*  Dr.  Atwood,  to  whom  the  writer  is  indebted  for  much  of 
the  material  in  this  chapter,  says :  "In  Herkimer  Covmty  I 
have  visited  Dr.  Tuttle' s  sister  and  have  often  talked  with  per- 


EARLY  LIFE  AXD  OPENING  MINISTRY       5 

religious  views  and  became  a  Universalist.  A  note 
of  this  event  is  found  in  tlie  Evangelical  Magazine 
and  Gospel  Advocate,  published  for  many  years  at 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  to  the  effect  that  "  a  young  man  named 
James  H.  Tuttle,  living  at  or  near  Salisbury  Cen- 
ter, Herkimer  Co.,  New  York,  had  become  a  Uni- 
versalist, and  had  been  encouraged  to  '  testify  '  in 
the  Universalist  Church  at  Salisbury,  of  which  the 
Rev.  P.  Hathaway  was  at  that  time  minister."  He 
thought  his  own  way  from  the  old  faith  to  the 
new  ;  and  his  perfect  honesty  of  purpose  is  attested 
by  the  fact  that  he  could  not  have  done  a  more 
unpopular  thing ;  for,  at  that  time,  the  sect  of 
Universalists  was  "everywhere  spoken  against." 
In  many  places  their  meetings  were  broken  up  and 
their  preachers  mobbed.  The  grossest  opinions 
were  attributed  to  them.  They  were  thought  to 
be  dangerous  to  society.  The  fact  that  they  hoped 
for  heaven  at  last  for  every  soul,  was  interpreted 
to  mean  license  to  turn  this  world  into  a  hell  of 
passion  and  crime.  One  who  trusted  that  others 
might  not  be  damned,  was  set  down  as  doomed  to 

sons  who  knew  him  and  knew  of  him  in  boyhood.  He  had  a 
consistent,  clean,  and  fine  reputation  from  the  first.  His  people 
were  Baptists,  and  he  himself  united  with  that  church  at  a  com- 
paratively early  age.  I  have  been  shown  the  stream  and  spot 
where  he  was  'buried  in  baptism.'  I  remember  telling  'my 
boys'  in  the  Canton  Theological  School,  on  my  return,  what  I 
had  seen,  and  saying  I  was  minded  to  take  them  all  down  to 
Herkimer  County  and  try  the  effect  of  submerging  them  in  the 
same  waters." 


6  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

damnation  himself.  If  James  Tuttle  had  been 
seeking  popularity  or  striving  to  attain  selfish  ends, 
he  would  have  gone  leagues  away  from  Univer- 
salism.  Only  persons  of  deep  convictions  and 
heroic  mold  had  courage  to  enter  its  alien  gates. 

Soon  after  this  change  took  place,  he  decided  to 
enter  the  ministry.  In  the  enthusiasm  of  his  new- 
found views  of  God  and  of  human  destiny,  he 
wished  to  tell  the  story  to  the  world.  He  preached 
his  first  sermon  at  Ingham's  Mills,  four  miles  east 
of  Little  Falls,  when  he  was  but  eighteen  years  of 
age.  From  the  very  first,  he  gave  promise  of  use- 
fulness and  power.  With  utter  self-abandonment, 
he  proclaimed  the  Eternal  Goodness.  Boy  though 
he  was,  his  rural  congregation  listened  with  won- 
der and  tears.  It  seemed  as  if  they  had  never  be- 
fore heard  the  message  with  such  earnestness  and 
sincerity ;  and  when  the  sermon  at  Ingham's  Mills 
was  finished  that  far-off  Sunday  morning,  it  was 
felt  that  a  new  force  had  been  born  into  the  ranks 
of  the  despised  sect,  and  many  "  thanked  God  and 
took  courage." 

No  doubt  his  determination  to  become  a  minister 
was  emphasized  by  an  incident  of  his  early  child- 
hood, which  left  a  lasting  impression  upon  his 
mind.  When  very  young,  not  more  than  three 
years  old,  he  wandered  away  from  his  home  and 
was  lost  among  the  hills  and  woods.  So  soon  as 
missed,  search  was  made  for  him  in  every  direction, 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  OPENING  MINISTRY       7 

but  he  could  not  be  found.  Night  came  on,  with 
what  anxieties,  apprehensions,  terrors,  may  be 
imagined.  Long  after  the  shadows  had  fallen,  the 
search  was  kept  up,  with  lanterns  and  torches,  with 
ringing  of  bells  and  blowing  of  horns,  and  shout 
of  troubled  voices,  but  without  avail.  All  the 
while  the  hearts  of  the  searchers  were  growing 
chill  with  the  thought  that  he  must  be  dead.  In 
the  morning,  however,  the  little  fellow  was  found 
fast  asleep  in  a  distant  wood  where  he  had  passed 
the  night.  How  he  came  there  neither  he  nor 
any  one  else  could  tell.  This  incident  assumed  in 
his  mind,  as  he  grew  up,  the  aspect  of  direct  provi- 
dential care  that  fitted  in  with  his  new  views  of 
the  divine  love.  He  felt  that,  in  his  own  life,  he 
had  evidence  of  the  Fatherhood  of  God,  and  that 
he  had  been  preserved  for  a  purpose.  But  what- 
ever the  considerations  that  influenced  him  to  the 
choice  of  his  life-work,  he  writes  when  reviewing 
his  career :  "  I  can  sincerely  say  that  I  never  for  a 
single  hour,  if  for  a  moment,  regretted  that  I  chose 
the  ministry  for  my  profession  and  the  Universalist 
Church  for  my  field  of  work." 

RICHFIELD    SPRINGS 

The  young  preacher  of  Ingham's  Mills  was  soon 
heard  from  in  the  surrounding  country.  He 
preached  at  Ford's  Bush  and  at  Little  Falls,  where 
a  society  was  organized  about  tliis  time,  and  at 


8  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

other  points  in  the  neighborhood.  It  was  not  long 
before  he  was  formally  licensed;  in  June,  1843, 
before  he  was  quite  nineteen,  he  was  received  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  Mohawk  River  Association. 
In  December  of  this  same  year,  we  find  him  en- 
gaged as  "pastor  elect"  at  Richfield  Springs;  and 
a  notice  appears  in  the  Magazine  and  Advocate  for 
December  8,  and  is  repeated  in  several  subsequent 
issues,  that, "  The  Third  Conference  of  the  Otsego 
Association  will  be  held  in  Richfield  Springs  on 
the  second  Wednesday  and  Thursday  (10th  and 
11th)  of  January,  1844.  During  the  meeting  Br. 
J.  H.  Tuttle  will  be  ordained.  Sermon  by  Br.  P. 
Hathaway  of  Salisbury.  It  is  expected  that  our 
venerable  Br.  Stacey  will  be  present."  The  Rev. 
W.  G.  Anderson  reports  this  Conference  in  the 
issue  of  the  Magazine  and  Advocate  for  January 
26,  1844.  He  observes,  "  It  is  no  exaggeration  to 
say  a  more  joyful  and  happy  meeting  of  Univer- 
salists  never  took  place."  Further  on  is  this  record : 
♦'  On  Thursday  (Jan.  11th)  Br.  James  H.  Tuttle  was 
ordained  to  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry,  by 
request  of  the  Society  at  Richfield  Springs.  Br. 
Whiston  was  appointed  moderator  of  the  Council 
and  Br.  H.  Lyon,  scribe.  After  receiving  the  most 
unquestionable  testimonials  of  Br.  Tuttle's  good 
character  and  ability  to  preach  the  Gospel,  it  was 
unanimously  resolved  by  the  Council  to  grant  the 
request  of   the  Society.     The  services  were  per- 


EARLY  LIFE  AND  OPENING  MINISTRY       9 

formed  in  the  most  solemn  and  impressive  manner, 
in  the  following  order : 

"  1.  Reading  of  the  Scriptures,  Br.  II.  Van  Cam- 
pen.  2.  Hymn.  3.  Reading  select  Scriptures  by 
Br.  C.  M.  Patterson.  4.  Prayer  by  Br.  H.  Lyon. 
5.  Hymn.  6.  Sermon  by  Br.  P.  Hathaway,  from 
the  words, '  Now  hath  he  obtained  a  more  excellent 
ministry,  by  how  much  also  is  he  the  mediator  of 
a  better  covenant,  which  was  established  on  better 
promises.'  Heb.  viii,  6.  7.  Ordaining  Prayer, 
by  Br.  W.  G.  Anderson.  8.  Charge  and  Delivery 
of  the  Scriptures,  by  Father  N.  Stacey.  9.  Right 
Hand  of  Fellowship,  by  E.  M.  Woolley.  10.  Origi- 
nal Hymn.  11.  Closing  address  by  Br.  E.  M. 
Woolley.     12.    Benediction  by  the  Pastor." 

In  June,  1845,  he  was  made  clerk  of  the  session 
of  the  Otsego  Association,  which  met  at  Ford's 
Bush.  The  Council  authorized  him  to  prepare 
and  publish  the  minutes  "  and  to  accompany  them 
with  such  Remarks  as  he  may  deem  proper."  It 
was  a  custom  of  the  time  to  follow  the  official 
minutes  with  "  Remarks "  on  the  spirit  of  the 
meetings,  the  character  of  the  proceedings,  the 
quality  of  the  sermons,  and  other  matters  requir- 
ing tact  and  judgment ;  and  the  fact  that  young 
Tuttle,  not  yet  twenty-one,  was  entrusted  by  his 
brethren  with  such  a  duty  is  indication  of  their 
confidence  in  his  ability  and  good  sense. 

For  about  three  years  he  remained  pastor   at 


10  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

Richfield  Springs.  One  who  was  familiar  with 
the  circumstances  and  the  people,  testifies  that, 
"  The  trait  of  taking  hold  of  the  whole  community 
and  becoming  everybody's  minister,  which  was  so 
marked  in  his  more  famous  pastorates,  distin- 
guished him  in  that  earlier  time  of  testing." 

FULTON 

The  next  pastorate  of  Mr.  Tuttle  was  at  Fulton, 
Oswego  County.  Although  he  encountered,  in 
this  new  field,  some  of  the  persecution  which  so 
generally  fell  to  the  lot  of  his  denomination,  he 
had  "  overflowing  congregations  and  the  largest 
Sunday-school  in  the  town ;  while  the  wide  and 
sincere  human  sympathies  and  the  almost  unerring 
wisdom  of  his  counsels  and  his  deportment,  which 
marked  him  throughout  life,  made  a  lasting  im- 
pression in  those  days  of  his  youth."  He  was 
married,  in  1848,  to  Harriet  Merriman,  who  proved 
his  true  and  faithful  helper  till  the  time  of 
her  death,  1873.  They  had  two  sons :  James  C, 
born  in  Fulton,  and  George  Montgomery,  born  in 
Rochester. 

Some  interesting  reminiscences  of  the  Fulton 
pastorate  are  furnished  by  Mr.  John  J.  Stephens, 
now  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

I  was  about  a  dozen  years  old  at  that  time  (1849), 
and  previous  to  his  (Mr.  Tuttle's)  marriage,  he  Avas  fre- 


EARLY  LIFE  A^D  OPENING  MINISTRY      11 

quently  at  my  father's  house  for  days  or  weeks  at  a  time. 
He  was  very  affectionate  and  sympathetic,  and  a  good 
singer.  His  favorite  song  was  Byron's  "  Here's  a  health 
to  thee,  Tom  Moore,"  and  a  hymn  he  often  quoted  and 
sang  was  one  of  Watts,  containinjr  the  lines, 

"  Thus  far  the  Lord  hath  led  me  on. 
Thus  far  his  power  prolongs  my  days." 

He  took  great  interest  in  educational  affairs,  particularly 
in  Clinton  Liberal  Institute,  and  often  accompanied  stu- 
dents to  that  school  to  assist  them  in  getting  comfortably 
established.  His  courtesy  and  kindness  to  all  were  un- 
varying ;  he  was  greatly  beloved ;  a  graceful  and  persua- 
sive speaker,  and  his  society  prospered.  Though  a  pro- 
nounced Universalist,  he  desired  and  pleaded  for  the 
establishment  on  earth  of  a  church  broad  enough  for  all. 
The  orthodox  portion  of  the  community  was  divided  into 
various  sects  and  imited  only  in  a  determination  to  limit 
Mr.  Turtle's  popularity  and  the  spread  of  Universalism. 
As  nothing  but  praise  could  be  spoken  of  him  personally, 
they  assailed  Universalism  in  various  ways.  For  instance, 
a  tract,  entitled  Universalism  as  it  is,  was  freely  dis- 
tributed in  the  \illage,  and  left  on  the  counter  of  a 
Methodist  bookseller  for  further  circulation.  Its  general 
tenor  was  that  "  a  Universalist  might  lead  a  sinful  life, 
yet  at  death  would  at  once  enter  into  eternal  happiness." 
Mr.  Tuttle  picked  up  a  copy  of  this  in  the  book-store,  and 
asked  the  proprietor  pleasantly  if  the  circulation  of  such 
literatiire  were  a  congenial  occupation.  The  man  made  a 
shame-faced  apology.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Tuttle  announced 
in  the  papers  that  he  would  refer  to  the  tract.  I  remem- 
ber the  calm  and  dignified  way  in  which  he  compared 
each  tenet  of  his  church  with  the  statements  of  the  tract, 


12  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

and  in  closing  said,  "This  tract  and  all  the  thoughts  it 
engendered  are  now  laid  aside  to  moulder  in  the  dust  of 
forgetfulness."  Somewhat  later,  a  far  more  disgraceful 
event  occurred.  Late  on  a  bright  moonlight  night,  a 
young  man  discovered  the  Universalist  church  on  fire. 
A  large  box  had  been  placed  in  front  of  the  basement 
door,  so  that  the  flames  might  gain  headway  without 
being  seen.  Suspicion  fell  upon  a  certain  zealous  bigot, 
who,  being  publicly  confronted  with  the  charge,  left  town 
and  never  returned.  .  .  .  When  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tuttle 
went  to  housekeeping,  I  had  the  honor  of  being  the  only 
guest  at  the  first  dinner  they  took  in  their  own  home. 
My  father  had  sent  me  to  them  with  a  load  of  potatoes, 
and  arriving  just  as  they  were  sitting  down  to  dinner, 
they  cordially  invited  me  to  partake,  which  I  was  quite 
ready  to  do. 

These  reminiscences  of  Mr.  Stephens  give  us  a 
picture  of  Mr.  Tuttle's  life,  his  difficulties,  and 
his  successes  during  this  early  period  of  his  min- 
istry. Fortunately,  he  lived  long  enough  to  see 
the  name  he  had  assumed  when  it  was  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world  a  badge  of  dishonor,  everywhere 
respected;  the  opinions  for  which  it  stood,  per- 
meating the  thought  of  Christendom.  He  lived 
long  enough  to  know  that  the  feelings  of  disap- 
pointment in  his  relatives  and  early  friends  over 
what  they  deemed  his  apostacy,  had  been  modified 
by  his  long  career  of  devotion  to  God  and  helpful- 
ness to  the  world,  by  his  Christian  character  and 
example.  Long  after  he  had  passed  the  meridian 
and  was  facing  the  sunset,  he  wrote :  "  I  left  the 


EARLY   LIFE  AND  OPENING  MINISTRY      13 

New  York  Central  Railroad  at  Little  Falls  and  went 
north  to  the  Herkimer  County  hills,  near  my  birth- 
place, to  visit  relatives,  among  them  two  sisters,  one 
eighty-three  and  the  other  eighty-one  years  of  age. 
We  sat  together  three  days  and  talked  and  lived 
our  lives  over  again.  Conscious  of  our  nearness 
to  it,  our  conversation  reached  out  to  the  great 
future  also.  My  sisters  are,  and  have  been,  for 
considerably  more  than  half  a  century,  members 
of  the  Baptist  church,  but  our  theological  differ- 
ences, whatever  they  may  have  been,  really  were 
scarcely  perceptible  in  what  we  had  to  say  in 
regard  to  the  love  of  God,  to  salvation  through 
Chiist,  and  to  the  faith  in  a  final  reunion  with  our 
dear  ones  beyond  the  grave.  We  hoped  much 
and  dogmatized  little.  As  the  spots  on  the  sun 
are  buried  in  its  light,  my  sisters'  doubts,  if  they 
had  any  —  and  it  is  presumed  they  had  some 
serious  ones  —  appeared  to  be  buried  in  their 
assurance  of  divine  goodness.  The  doctrine  of 
endless  misery  ...  is  not  so  baneful  as  it  was, 
does  not  attempt  to  terrify  the  larger  belief,  nor  to 
excommunicate  its  deniers  as  it  did  once.  It  has 
almost  ceased  to  divide  families,  when  parents  and 
children,  brothers  and  sisters  come  together  from 
their  separate  homes  to  blend  their  religious  con- 
versation and  religious  trusts ;  it  consents,  in 
most  instances,  to  sit  at  one  side  and  look  on, 
without  interrupting  the  happiness  that  the  grow- 


14  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

ing  faith  has  brought  there.  The  following  Sun- 
day morning  I  spent  in  the  pulpit  with  Bro. 
Tomlinson  at  Little  Falls,  N.  Y.  I  felt  at  home 
here,  for  the  large  audience  was  an  old  acquain- 
tance chiefly,  and  there  was  a  large  sprinkling  of 
my  own  kindred  in  it." 


CHAPTER  II 

ROCHESTER  :  THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY 

Founding  of   the   Church  —  George   W.    Montgomery  —  The 
Call  to  Rochester — The  New  Pastor  and  the  Retiring  One 

—  Theological  Controversies  —  Reform  Movements  —  An 
Important  Meeting  —  Sermons  on  "Human  Life" — Birth 
of  Younger  Son,  the  Wife  and  Mother,  Close  of  Pastorate 

—  After  Many  Days. 

A  RECENTLY  published  sketch  of  the  First  Uni- 
versalist  Church  of  Rochester,  New  York,  says  : 
"  Previous  to  the  coming  to  Rochester  of  George 
W.  Montgomery  in  1845,  but  little  was  known 
here  of  Universalism.  There  had  been  a  church 
at  the  corner  of  Court  and  Stone  streets,  supplied 
by  L.  P.  Abell,  George  Sanderson,  and  Jacob 
Chase."  This  movement,  however,  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  permanent ;  but,  after  all,  it  was  the 
beginning.  Dr.  Saxe  says :  "  It  was  there  that 
our  Sunday-school,  which  for  more  than  forty 
years  has  been  our  right  arm,  was  bom.  Under 
the  leadership  of  George  H.  Roberts,  its  first  super- 
intendent, it  survived  the  disintegration  of  the 
church  from  whose  loins  it  sprang,  and  bridging 
the  interregnum,  became  the  nucleus  of  a  new 
movement,  of  which  our  present  organization  was 
the  result." 

15 


16  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


GEORGE  W.    MONTGOMERY 

With  the  coming  of  Dr.  Montgomery,  in  the 
year  above  mentioned,  services  were  opened  in 
Minerva  Hall,  and  April  13,  1846,  a  society  was 
organized  in  this  hall,  with  fifty-six  members. 
Then  came  the  effort  to  build  a  house  of  worship. 
It  was  so  successful  that,  by  the  close  of  the  follow- 
ing December,  one  was  completed  and  dedicated 
free  of  debt.  It  was  built  upon  the  site  occupied 
by  the  larger  and  grander  structure  of  to-day. 
The  total  cost  was  19,514.17.  Dr.  Montgomery 
preached  the  dedicatory  sermon,  and  there  were 
special  services  immediately  following,  where  such 
men  as  S.  R.  Smith,  J.  M.  Austin,  Adolphus  Skin- 
ner, and  Thomas  J.  Sawyer  preached.  "  There 
were  giants  in  the  earth  in  those  days."  The  pas- 
torate of  Dr.  INIontgomery  continued  eight  years, 
when  he  began  to  have  intimations  that  he  must 
soon  retire.  The  people  must  begin  to  look  for 
another  pastor.  But  where  should  they  turn,  and 
how  were  they  to  fill  the  place  of  the  superb 
preacher  whose  broken  health  was  laying  him  aside 
in  the  very  prime  of  his  powers  ? 

The  young  minister  at  Fulton  did  not  dream 
that  the  finger  of  destiny  was  pointing  in  his  direc- 
tion. Little  did  he  realize  that  he  was  standing 
on  the  threshold  of  his  splendid  career,  and  that 
his  first  great  opportunity  was  at  liand.     He  had 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  17 

heard  and  read  of  Dr.  Montgomery  and  had  looked 
up  to  him  as  an  almost  superior  being.  Many 
years  afterwards  he  wrote:  "1  fell  deeply  in  love 
with  it  (tlie  name  of  Dr.  Montgomery),  when  I 
was  but  a  lad  and  saw  it  frequently  on  the  pages 
of  the  Universalist  paper,  Evangelical  Magazine  and 
Gospel  Advocate^  lo^ig  before  I  had  seen  the  man 
himself.  How  imposing,  how  attractive  the  name 
was  to  me,  and  how  suggestive,  I  thought,  of  a 
great  and  noble  character.  Whenever  I  saw  this 
name  standing  at  the  head  of  a  sermon  or  briefer 
article,  I  was  sure  to  read  what  followed  and  with 
unusual  interest.  ...  It  happened  after  a  time 
that  I  was  ordained  into  the  brotherhood  of  Uni- 
versalist ministers,  and  that  my  name  appeared 
occasionally  in  the  above  magazine  in  humble  con- 
trast with  the  one  mentioned  ;  but  it  was  yet  many 
years  before  my  curiosity  was  gratified  in  meeting 
Rev.  George  W.  Montgomery.  Finally,  being  in 
Rochester  on  denominational  business,  I  called  at 
his  residence  and  had  a  good  look  at  him.  ...  I 
was  captivated  by  his  manner,  I  felt  at  home  in 
his  presence,  and  proud  to  be  his  guest."  This 
was  the  beginning  of  an  acquaintance  that  ripened 
into  a  friendship  destined  to  last  until  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery, in  his  eighty-fifth  year,  "put  on  immor- 
tality." 


18  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


THE   CALL   TO   ROCHESTER 

James  Tuttle  was  called  to  Rochester  in  1858, 
and  began  his  work  January  1,  1854.  An  entry 
in  the  diary  of  his  predecessor  reads  as  follows : 
"  Jan.  1st,  1854.  Bro.  Tuttle  commenced  services 
to-day.     Very  large  congregations." 

The  intimation  that  he  would  receive  this  call 
was  first  conveyed  to  him  by  Dr.  Montgomery 
himself.  "  Meeting  me  one  day  at  one  of  our  reli- 
gious gatherings  in  the  state,  he  conveyed  to  me 
confidentially  his  intentions  to  terminate  his  pas- 
toral relations  with  the  church,  and  added,  to  my 
inexpressible  surprise,  that  he  had  thought  of  me 
as  his  successor.  This  last  statement  nearly  took 
away  my  breath.  The  idea,  let  me  say  frankly 
and  sincerely,  of  being  invited  to  a  pulpit  which 
had  been  occupied  by  Rev.  George  W.  Montgom- 
ery, never  entered  into  my  most  extravagant 
dreams.  And  when  the  thing  was  mentioned,  I 
felt  that  its  realization  would  prove  impossible. 
After  I  had  accepted  the  call,  different  persons  ex- 
pressed to  me  their  wonder  that  I  dared  to  attempt 
to  follow  in  the  pastorship  of  so  eloquent  and  so 
popular  a  man  as  George  W.  Montgomery ;  and 
the  only  answer  I  could  make  was  that  the  best 
pastor  was,  after  all,  the  best  one  to  follow ;  that 
having  loved  the  one  who  had  gone  before  me, 
the  people  would  be  more  Ukely  to  welcome  and 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUXITY  19 

love  me,  if  I  conducted  myself  in  such  a  way  as  to 
deserve  it." 

So  James  H.  Tuttle  came  to  Rochester,  and 
came  at  what  the  people  believed  to  be  a  great 
crisis  in  their  history.  Discoui'agement  —  almost 
despair  —  had  fallen  upon  them.  It  was  difficult, 
under  the  best  of  circumstances  in  that  day,  to 
maintain  a  Universalist  Church.  With  much  toil 
and  sacrifice,  under  so  competent  a  leader  as  Dr. 
Montgomery,  had  they  builded  their  house  and 
gained  their  hearing.  His  retirement  meant  dis- 
aster. "  Looking  back  through  all  those  years," 
says  Dr.  Saxe,  "  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  reahze  the 
weight  of  the  blow  that  fell,  or  the  appalling  dis- 
couragement which  resulted  to  the  faithful  band 
who  recognized  him  as  the  soul  and  center.  They 
did  not  feel  that  any  other  man  could  take  his 
place.  .  .  .  But  the  man  and  the  hour  met. 
James  Tuttle  was  a  rare  man,  made  for  the  place 
and  preeminently  fitted  to  fill  it.  He  supple- 
mented his  predecessor  as  few  men  could.  He 
was  the  beloved  John,  succeeding  the  zealous  and 
eloquent  Peter.  His  soul  was  gospel-leavened 
and  baptized  with  tlie  Holy  Spirit.  His  face  was 
sunlit.  His  speech  was  silver.  He  was  absolutely 
the  ideal  pastor.  In  the  sick-room  and  beside  the 
coffined  dead,  he  was  simply  perfect.  He  entered 
the  darkened  home  with  tears,  but  he  brought  the 
higher  sunshine      His  great  love  and  faith  made 


20  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

his  message  jubilant.  It  was  always  a  Christmas 
song,  '  Behold,  I  bring  you  glad  tidings ;  glory  to 
God  in  the  highest ! '  The  people  were  happy  — 
the  old  pastor  supremely  so  —  when  he  saw  the 
Church  of  his  love  ...  in  such  good  hands. 
It  is  possible  if  he  had  not  come,  that  to-day  we 
should  have  no  Church.  It  is  absolutely  certain 
we  would  have  had  a  different  and  less  desirable 
one,  had  he  not  come  to  it  in  the  hour  of  need."  ^ 
The  new  pastor  saved  the  day  for  the  Rochester 
church,  and  continued  to  lead  it  in  the  pathway 
already  marked  out.  He  soon  gained  the  confi- 
dence and  love  of  the  people.  The  cloud  that  had 
settled  about  their  enterprise  was  lifted  and  the 
sun  of  prosperity  continued  to  shine.  The  diary 
of  Dr.  Montgomery,  to  which  reference  has  already 
been  made,  contains  many  interesting  entries  which 
show  how  Mr.  Tuttle  grew  in  the  esteem  of  the 
community  and  the  affections  of  the  parish.  The 
writer  is  permitted  to  glean  a  few  of  these  entries : 

Jan.  15,  1854. — Bro.  Tuttle,  I  am  told,  had  large 
congregations.  That  makes  me  happy,  for  I  am  anxious 
he  should  succeed. 

Jan.  18.  —  Called  with  Bro.  Tuttle  on  several  families 
to  make  him  acquainted  with  them ;  he  is  doing  a  good 
work. 

Feb.  5.  — Heard  an  excellent  sermon  from  Bro.  Tuttle. 

'Address  at  Tuttle  Memorial  Service,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  Dec. 
20,  1903. 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUXITY  21 

It  was  full  of  good  thoughts  and  well  delivered.  Congre- 
gations large.     Bro.  Tuttle  is  doing  well. 

June  18. — Subject,  "  Slothfulness."  Excellent  ser- 
mon ;  have  not  heard  a  poor  sermon  from  Bro.  Tuttle. 

Nov.  i.9.  — Subject,  A.M.  "True  Wisdom,"  P.M. 
"  Fear  and  Love."  Excellent  sermons  and  well  delivered. 
Bro.  Tuttle  is  truly  a  Christian  minister,  one  worthy  of  all 
regard. 

Oct.  14,  1855.  —  "  Universalism  and  God's  Kingdom." 
Bro.  Tuttle  is  an  able  minister  and  a  good  man ;  pleasant, 
sociable,  and  honest ;  he  enjoys  the  esteem  of  the  whole 
community. 

Dec.  23.  —  Bro.  Tuttle  is  gradually  and  surely  gaining 
ground,  and  enlarging  the  Society. 

Dec.  30.  —  Bro.  Tuttle  is  improving  as  a  thinker  and 
speaker ;  he  is  a  very  able  man. 

These  scattered  sentences,  gathered  from  records 
extending  over  two  years,  show  how  Mr.  Tuttle 
continued  to  grow  in  "  wisdom,"  if  not  in  "  stature," 
and  in  "  favor  with  God  and  man." 

THE  NEW   PASTOR   AND   THE   RETIRING   ONE 

The  spirit  of  Mr.  Tuttle  was  shown,  at  the  very 
outset,  in  his  attitude  towards  the  noble  man  he 
succeeded.  "  We  worked  together,"  he  says,  "  so 
constantly  and  so  harmoniously,  and  Bro.  Mont- 
goraer}"  preached  so  frequently,  that  the  congrega- 
tion hardly  seemed  to  know  or  care  which  of  us 
was  the  real  pastor.  When,  at  first,  the  young 
people  went  naturally  to  him  for  marriage  cere- 
monies, he  refused,  saying  kindly  and  decidedly 
that  such  services  now  belonged  to  me.     This  was 


22  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

our  first  hitch.  But  we  disposed  of  it  easily.  I 
said  to  him,  '  Marry  all  who  want  you  to  marry 
them,  until  I,  by  imitating  your  example,  can  make 
this  people  love  me  so  much,  as  to  wish  me  to 
officiate  on  such  occasions.'  So  I  clasped  his  hand, 
and  he  clasped  mine.  In  true,  warm,  grateful  feel- 
ings we  clasp  hands  to-night,  at  the  end  of  thirty 
years  of  unbroken  friendship."  ^  The  diaries  of 
the  ex-pastor  show  his  own  feelings,  and  he  has 
left  this  word  of  direct  testimony :  "  During  those 
years  of  intimate  association,  a  friendship  linked 
our  hearts  together  with  a  bond  so  strong  that  my 
eighty-one  years  have  not  weakened  or  dimmed  it." 
Why  should  it  not  have  been  so  ?  These  were  not 
ordinary  men.  They  were  not  moved  by  petty  and 
selfish  ambitions.  They  were  glad,  each  one,  for 
the  honors  bestowed  on  the  other.  They  had  but 
one  object  —  the  establishment  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven,  through  the  upbuilding  of  its  visible 
symbol,  the  Christian  Church. 

THEOLOGICAL   DISCUSSIONS 

While  all  went  well  within  the  society,  while  its 
numbers  grew  and  its  influence  widened ;  while 
the  pastor  retired  and  the  pastor  active  "  took  sweet 
counsel  together"  —  there  were  difficulties  to  be 
met  and  obstacles  to  be  surmounted.     The  days  of 

*  At  the  Twenty -fifth  Anniversary  of  Dr.  Saxe's  pastorate, 
Rochester,  N.Y. 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  23 

Mr.  Tuttle's  ministry  in  Rochester,  as  well  as  in 
his  previous  pastorates,  were  days  of  intense  and 
bitter  controversy.  Universalists  —  as  the  writer 
has  already  intimated  —  were  looked  upon  as  the 
enemies  of  Christ  and  of  his  gospel.  They  were 
socially,  as  well  as  religiously,  ostracised.  It  was 
believed  that  their  principles  were  subversive  of 
common  morality,  and  that,  if  generally  adopted, 
they  would  disrupt  society.  Strange  that  the 
preaching  of  divine  love  should  have  only  served 
to  stir  up  human  wrath !  But  so  it  was.  The 
struggling  church  in  Rochester  had  all  orthodoxy 
against  it,  and  its  pastor  was  assailed  by  the  stur- 
diest champions  of  endless  torment.  Among  them 
were  Charles  G.  Finney,  when  he  held  his  great  re- 
vivals in  Rochester.  Finney  was  one  of  the  ablest 
men  and  most  convincing  preachers  of  liis  day. 
No  man  has  used  logic  with  such  effect  in  the 
pulpit  —  logic  set  on  fire  by  a  deep  and  steady 
earnestness.  It  is  said  that  more  lawyers  were 
converted  under  his  ministry  than  under  that  of 
any  other  evangeUst.  This  Goliath  set  himself  the 
task  of  crushing  out  the  Universalist  doctrine  of 
God  and  destiny.  The  young  David  in  the 
Rochester  pulpit  did  not  shrink  from  the  encounter. 
One  of  his  contemporaries  has  recorded :  "  When 
his  faith  was  assailed,  as  it  was  by  Rev.  Charles  G. 
Finney  of  Oberlin,  and  afterwards  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Watts  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  in  sermons 


24  JAMES  H.    TUT  TLB 

preached  in  this  city,  evincing  a  bitter  spirit  along 
the  lines  of  the  old  and  worn-out  objections  against 
God-given  truth,  Bro.  Tuttle  was  more  than  equal 
to  the  occasion.  His  replies  were  so  cogent,  his 
proofs  so  clear  and  conclusive,  presented  in  such  a 
genuine  Christian  spirit,  that  it  was  the  opinion  of 
thinking  people  that  Bro.  Tuttle  was  the  victor  in 
the  discussion." 

REFORM   MOVEMENTS 

But  theological  questions  were  not  the  only  ones 
that  filled  the  air  while  Mr.  Tuttle  was  pastor  at 
Rochester.  These  were  the  years  just  preceding 
the  Civil  War.  The  city  in  which  he  lived  was  a 
center  of  agitation  for  the  abolition  of  slavery  and 
for  other  reforms.  Here  came  Frederick  Douglass 
to  fix  his  home  after  his  return  from  Europe,  and 
here  he  started  his  paper  in  which,  differing  from 
many  of  his  co-laborers,  he  advocated  the  use  of  the 
ballot  by  Abolitionists.  Here  dwelt  Miss  Susan  B. 
Anthony,  one  of  the  great  leaders  in  the  work  of 
temperance,  both  in  lecturing  and  in  organizing 
societies.  She  was  also  one  of  the  pioneers  in  her 
plea  for  co-education  and  for  equal  civil  and  poli- 
tical rights  for  woman.  She  was  active  in  securing 
the  passage  of  a  law  by  the  New  York  legislature, 
giving  to  married  women  the  possession  of  their 
earnings  and  the  guardianship  of  their  children. 
Frederick  Douglass,  while  prominent  as  the  great 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  25 

champion  of  the  slave,  was  deeply  in  sympathy  with 
the  work  of  Miss  Anthony  and  aided  it  with  voice 
and  pen ;  while  she,  upon  the  other  hand,  advocate 
by  preeminence  of  tlie  rights  of  woman,  pleaded 
also  the  negro's  cause.  The  interests  of  humanity 
are  one,  and  no  arbitrary  lines  can  divide  them. 
By  nature,  a  believer  m  liberty  and  equality,  with 
broad  sympathies  and  keen  sense  of  justice,  Mr. 
Tuttle  was  drawn  to  these  great  leaders ;  sometimes 
appeared  with  them  on  the  platforms  from  which 
they  spoke  ;  and,  on  all  fitting  occasions,  advocated 
the  principles  for  which  they  stood.  The  writer 
has  heard  him  relate  how  an  antislavery  meeting, 
held  in  his  own  church,  at  which  both  Mr.  Douglass 
and  Miss  Anthony  were  to  speak,  was  broken  up 
by  a  mob  which  surrounded  the  building  and 
threatened  violence.  It  was  in  Rochester  and 
under  tliese  influences,  that  Mr.  Tuttle  reached 
the  conclusion  upon  which  he  ever  afterwards 
acted,  that  Chiistianity  has  a  social  as  well  as  an 
individual  significance,  and  that  its  principles  are 
to  be  applied  to  the  great  questions  and  issues  of 
the  day.  So  he  never  shrank  from  applying  them 
to  the  life  of  the  community  and  the  nation.  It 
was  in  one  of  his  Rochester  sermons  that  he  said : 
"  Democracy  is  a  truth  because  it  is  social — because 
it  does  not  cut  humanity  up  into  parts  —  because 
it  acknowledges  that  all  men  are  created  equal, 
with  equal  rights  and  equal  destinies.    Christianity 


26  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

is  a  truth  because  it  has  a  Universal  Father,  a 
Universal  Hope,  and  a  Universal  Heaven;  because 
it  runs  no  gulf  stream  through  the  sea  of  life, 
dividing  it  into  halves ;  because  it  opens  its  arms 
to  all  the  souls  which  God  has  made."  It  was  in 
Rochester  he  learned  the  lessons  which  impelled 
him  to  say : 

Universalists  are  generally  interested  in  most  of  the 
rational  reforms  —  whether  moral,  social,  political,  or  edu- 
cational. My  impression  is,  that,  among  the  first,  if  not 
the  very  first,  public  religious  bodies  in  this  country,  which 
passed  antislavery  resolutions,  and  temperance  resolutions, 
were  Universalists.  As  a  body,  the  Universalist  Church 
stands  squarely,  and  firmly,  and  everlastingly  against  rum- 
selling  and  rum-drinking,  and  its  earnest  prayer  is  that 
intemperance  may,  in  some  effective  manner,  be  driven  off 
tlie  face  of  the  earth.  In  regard  to  the  late  movement  to 
improve  the  condition  of  woman,  especially  to  free  her 
from  unjust  legislation,  and  place  within  her  reach  all  the 
resources  open  to  man,  there  is  yet  some  disagreement 
among  us,  but  those  who  have  this  cause  at  heart  will  be 
glad  to  know  that  several  of  our  pulpits  are  now  occupied 
by  women,  that  all  our  colleges,  but  one,  are  equally 
accessible  to  both  sexes,  and  that  one  of  the  most  noted 
woman-lecturers  1  is  a  distinguished  Universalist. 

AlSr   IMPORTANT    MEETING 

At   Rochester,  as  everywhere  else,  Mr.   Tuttle 
was  the  friend  and  counselor  of  many  outside,  as 
well  as  inside,  of  his  own  particular  parish.     One 
^Mrs.  Mary  A.  Livermore. 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  27 

clay  there  came  to  his  study  a  much  younger  man 
than  himself,  who  was  settled  over  a  church  not 
far  from  Rochester,  but  who  felt  at  the  time  no 
special  attachment  to  the  work  and  who  was  un- 
decided as  to  Avhether  he  should  continue.  That 
meeting  was  destined  to  influence,  not  only  the 
young  caller  himself,  but  the  whole  denomination. 
It  was  a  pivot  of  destiny.  Any  one  can  realize 
how  much  poorer  the  Universalist  Church  would 
be,  were  the  life  and  work  of  Isaac  M.  Atwood 
taken  out  of  it ;  or  rather,  if  his  life  and  work  had 
never  been  put  into  it.  And  Isaac  M.  Atwood 
was  the  young  man  whose  career  was  that  day 
settled  in  the  study  of  the  Rochester  pastor.  He 
says :  "  It  was  here  that  I  first  met  him  and  con- 
ferred vAih.  him  as  to  my  own  undetermined  course. 
At  his  Twenty-fifth  Anniversary  celebration  in 
]Minneapolis,  he  referred  to  our  first  meeting,  and 
said  he  wished  he  could  believe  that  his  counsel 
had  had  something  to  do  with  determining  my 
choice  of  a  life  work.  It  is  a  contribution  to  the 
truth  of  history  to  say  that  his  words  on  the  occa- 
sion of  our  first  meeting,  joined  with  the  gracious 
impression  of  his  personality,  the  atmosphere  of 
his  home,  the  evident  joy  he  had  in  his  work,  the 
large  horizon  the  interview  opened  to  me,  and  the 
subtle  lure  I  felt  to  be  associated  with  such  a 
man,  had  much  to  do  with  my  coming  to  a  decision 
to  enter  the  same  rank  and  follow  the  same  flag." 


28  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


"  LIFE  :    PRESENT   AND   FUTURE 

Towards  the  close  of  his  ministry  in  Rochester, 
Mr.  Tuttle  published  a  small  volume  of  discourses 
entitled,  Life :  Present  and  Future.  These  dis- 
courses are  valuable,  not  only  for  the  truth  they 
contain,  but  for  the  light  they  throw  upon  his 
style  and  method  of  preaching.  One  recognizes 
here  the  same  large  human  sympathies,  the  same 
felicity  of  phrase  and  illustration,  which  char- 
acterize his  more  mature  work.  Following  are  a 
few  paragraphs  taken  almost  at  random : 

The  world  was  not  made  for  the  selfish  and  sinful. 
There  is  no  place  of  rest,  no  circle  of  happiness,  no  path 
of  flowers,  no  refuge  from  trouble  for  those  who  will  not 
act  a  noble,  manly  part;  who  will  not  go  earnestly  into 
the  world,  accept  the  duties,  obey  the  laws,  wherever  his 
nature  or  his  God  shall  call  him. 

After  all  our  regrets  over  these  stormy  conflicts  and 
jarring  interests  of  life,  such  things  help  to  strengthen  and 
develop  our  manhood.  As  frost  ripens  fruit,  so  does 
trouble  ripen  thought.  The  very  waves  which  toss  us 
about  and  threaten  to  wreck  our  bark,  carry  us  on  to  the 
desired  haven  at  last.  Our  frequent  collisions,  if  they 
sometimes  blunt  our  confidence,  do  also  sharpen  our  wis- 
dom. These  social  earthquakes  which  cause  the  ground 
to  groan  and  quiver  under  our  feet,  which  swallow  up  our 
hopes  and  shake  in  pieces  our  rotten  theories,  do  also  test 
our  faith  and  widen  our  experience. 

There  is  no  hiding-place  for  sin.  There  is  no  shelter 
for  a  guilty  conscience  —  no  retreat  where  man  may  escape 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  29 

the  retributions  of  justice.  There  is  no  cave  so  deep,  no 
mountain  so  high,  no  forest  so  wide,  that  God  can  not  pene- 
trate it  and  briug  fortli  the  sinful  fugitive.  Knowledge 
can  not  devise  any  means  to  ward  off  tiie  consequences  of 
wrong-doing.  Indeed,  knowledge  whets  the  sword  of  jus- 
tice, and  sharpens  the  stings  of  conscience- 
He  who  never  enters  his  closet  and  prays,  who  never 
enters  his  church  and  worships,  who  never  feels  himself 
upheld  and  borne  along  on  the  bosom  of  some  unseen, 
loving  spirit,  who  is  never  caught  up  in  the  rapturous 
arms  of  religious  love  and  translated  to  some  diviner 
sphere  than  this  material  world,  does  not  live  a  full  life, 
does  not  live  a  full,  free,  harmonious,  natural  life. 

The  change  called  death  is  not  the  "  king  of  terrors," 
as  many  have  made  it ;  it  is  not  the  result  of  sin,  as  many 
have  supposed  it  —  but  it  is  rather  that  wise  and  beautiful 
arrangement  which  sets  us  free  from  pain  and  sorrow.  It 
is  not  that  unwelcome  power  which  locks  us  up  in  the  end- 
less sleep  of  annihilation,  but  it  is  simply  the  door  which 
opens  on  eternity  —  which  opens  on  our  endless  home,  on 
all  the  dear  ones  who  have  gone  before  us. 

Whatever  of  good,  whatever  of  truth  has  existed, 
exists  now,  and  will  exist  forever.  Death  has  no  power 
over  the  true  or  the  beautiful.  Not  a  single  good  deed, 
nor  kind  word,  nor  generous  emotion  shall  ever  pass  out  of 
being.  The  deep  sea  of  memory  holds  all  the  argosies  of 
thought  which  have  simk  in  its  mysterious  depths,  and 
some  superior  skill  of  the  mind  will  raise  them  again  to 
the  surface.  All  the  gems  which  time  has  dropped  into 
that  sea  will  float  up  again,  and  revolve  forever  in  bril- 
liant circles  before  the  sharpened  insight  of  our  higher 
vision. 


30  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

With  all  Mr.  Tuttle's  popularity,  with  his  won- 
derful gift  of  persuasive  speech,  he  was  the  most 
modest  and  unassuming  of  men.  He  was  never 
satisfied  with  his  work  or  his  preaching.  His 
ideals  were  so  high  that  he  felt  himself  constantly 
falling  below  them.  An  incident  that  illustrates 
this  characteristic  feeling  is  related  by  Dr.  At> 
wood :  "  I  recall  a  characteristic  note  from  his 
ministry  in  Rochester.  Sitting  with  him  in  his 
study  one  day,  after  he  had  read  me  a  few  pages 
from  the  sermon  he  was  writing  for  the  next  Sun- 
day, he  remarked,  '  No  minister  could  be  happier 
than  I  am  in  my  relations  with  2ny  people  and  with 
this  city,  except  for  this :  I  am  so  conscious  of 
deficiency.  I  don't  know  how  to  preach  or  how  to 
think  or  how  to  handle  the  situation  so  as  to  make 
my  church  and  my  faith  take  the  place  they  ought 
to  occupy  in  this  city.  Why,  Bro.  Atwood,  if  I 
could  preach  half  as  well  as  some  men  can  preach, 
I  should  have  twice  as  many  hearers  and  do  so 
much  more  good  !  '  It  is  with  me  still,  how  that 
confession  from  a  man  whose  praise  was  in  every- 
body's mouth  and  who  was  talked  of  for  promotion 
to  larger  fields,  smote  me  with  a  sense  of  my  own 
littleness  and  unworthiness." 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  31 

HOME   LIFE  :     BIRTH    OF    YOUNGER    SON :     CLOSE 
OF   PASTORATE 

The  life  of  Mr.  Tuttle  in  Rochester  was  a  very 
happy  one.  His  work  grew  and  flourished,  his 
friends  multiplied,  and  many  of  the  friendships 
formed  here  lasted  through  life.  The  church  in- 
creased in  numbers  and  influence,  and  the  min- 
ister himself  developed  in  power  of  thought  and 
utterance.  His  domestic  life  was  beautiful;  his 
home  was  not  only  a  haven  of  peace  and  rest,  but 
a  source  of  inspiration  and  strength.  Here  was 
born  the  younger  son  and  named  for  the  beloved 
friend,  George  Montgomery.^  One  who  knew 
whereof  he  wrote  has  left  on  record  this  tribute  to 
the  presiding  genius  of  that  home  —  the  wife  and 
mother  —  "I  do  not  forget,  but  with  a  full  heart 
bring  to  view,  the  dearly  beloved  wife,  whose  love 
was  completely  absorbed  in  his  Avork.  Calm  and 
equable  in  temper,  entirely  devoid  of  undue  pride, 
always  courteous  to  the  poor  as  to  the  rich,  with 
warm  sympathy  for  the  young,  the  troubled,  and 
the  sorrowing,  with  strong  devotion  to  all  religious 
interests,  with  unwavering  loyalty  to  our  precious 
faith,  and  as  a  wife,  a  mother,  a  friend,  a  pro- 
fessed member  of  the  visible  church  of  the  Son  of 

'  Dr.  George  Montgomery  Tuttle,  now  living  in  New  York 
City,  where  he  has  risen  to  the  very  first  rank  of  his  pro- 
fession, that  of  surgery. 


32  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

God,  always  living  a  Christian  life  —  this  noble 
woman  could  not  help  being  a  beneficent  power  in 
the  ministry  of  her  revered  husband.  It  was  so 
and  more." 

And  now  the  time  has  come  when  the  man  who 
entered  upon  his  pastorate  at  Rochester  with  fear 
and  trembling,  and  performed  his  great  task  so 
grandly,  is  summond  to  meet  another  crisis  in  the 
history  of  another  church ;  and  the  same  hand  that 
chronicled  his  coming,  makes  note  in  the  same 
diary  of  his  departure.  "  Oct.  30,  1859.  I  read 
Bro.  Tuttle's  resignation  to  the  congregation ;  he 
goes  to  Chicago.  Nov.  30  :  Bro.  Tuttle  gave  his 
farewell  discourse,  A.M.  It  was  very  appropriate, 
the  congregation  was  deeply  moved,  the  parting 
was  hard.  Bro.  Tuttle  is  greatly  loved.  The 
church  was  full." 

AFTER   MAK?   DAYS 

Before  entering  upon  the  account  of  Mr.  Tut- 
tle's Chicago  ministry,  it  is  fitting  to  make  men- 
tion of  several  later  occasions  at  Rochester,  in 
which  he  was  a  prominent  figure.  He  never  for- 
got the  people  of  this  church,  and  the  people  of 
Rochester  never  forgot  him.  Though  separated, 
they  loved  each  other  always,  with  a  deep  and  last- 
ing affection.  On  three  great  occasions  in  the 
history  of  the  church  he  went  back.  The  first  of 
these  was  the  celebration  of  the  Twenty-fifth  An- 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  33 

niversary  of  Dr.  Saxe,  when  the  three  pastors, 
Montgomery,  Tuttle,  and  Saxe  sat  together  in  the 
pulpit;  the  second  was  the  Fiftieth  Anniversary 
of  the  Church,  when  again  the  three  pastors  sat 
side  by  side ;  the  third  and  last  was  Sunday  morn- 
ing. May  11,  1902,  when  the  memorial  windows 
were  dedicated ;  one  for  each  of  the  men  who  had 
made  the  pulpit  illustrious.  One  who  was  present 
says :  "  His  distinguished  predecessor  had  gone 
home,  but  he  sat  here  a  venerable,  historic  figure  — 
a  benign  and  heavenly  presence.  It  was  his  last 
appearance.  We  shall  always  cherish  it  as  a  holy 
memory.  Unable  to  speak,  he  had  written  what 
he  wanted  to  communicate,  which  was  read  by  Dr. 
Atwood.  It  was  his  last  message,  and  his  great 
words  of  hope  and  love  are  yet  ringing  in  my 
ears."  This  chapter  would  not  be  complete  with- 
out that  letter.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  tender  that  he  ever  wrote.  It  is  full  of  fra- 
grant memories  and  of  heartfelt  gratitude.  In  lit- 
erary form  and  expression  it  ranks  with  the  best 
work  of  his  hfe. 

To  THE  FinsT  Uxn'ERSALiST  Church, 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

My  Dear  Friends  :  I  am  profoundly  gjateful  to  the 
infinitely  good  Father  that  He  has  spared  my  life  and  given 
me  strength  to  be  present  on  this  interesting  occasion ;  to 
meet  and  to  worship  witli  this  congregation ;  Ui  look 
around   on  these  walls  which  would  be  familiar  to  me 


34  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

had  you  not  recently  so  changed  and  improved  them ;  and 
with  all  I  am  grateful  for  the  opportunity  to  lift  my  eyes 
to  those  windows  whereon  it  has  pleased  you  to  enshrine 
the  names  of  three  of  your  old  and  devoted  friends,  form- 
erly pastors  of  this  church.  It  has  afforded  me  untold 
and  unsurpassed  satisfaction  to  try  to  realize  the  full  signi- 
ficance of  those  windows,  all  that  your  jjlanning  and  setting 
them  up  means ;  to  try  to  realize  that  they  are  crea- 
tions out  of  the  warm  tender  hearts  of  this  good  jjeople ; 
a  manifestation  in  material  form,  of  your  lasting  regard 
for  the  persons  they  affectionately  commemorate ;  that 
they  are  a  genuine  tribute  to  a  long-ago  friendship  and  of 
to-day's  friendship  ;  to  realize  still  again,  that  they  are  an- 
other and  striking  illustration  of  the  too  often  unheeded 
truth  that  "No  act  falls  fruitless,"  that  every  honest  at- 
tempt, however  humble  it  may  be  at  well-doing  is  like 
good  seed  sown  in  good  ground,  springing  forth  and  grow- 
ing in  good  time  into  an  adequate  harvest. 

Forty  3'ears  have  elapsed  since  I  closed  my  settlement 
in  Rochester,  years  that  I  have  spent  on  other  and  distant 
fields  of  labor ;  a  long  enough  time,  I  might  have  feared, 
to  seriously  dim  if  not  to  wholly  obliterate  the  thought  of 
me ;  but  a  few  hearts  here,  it  seems,  have  graciously 
kept  my  name  through  all  that  period,  and  have,  finally, 
as  graciously  instituted  measures  for  holding  me  back 
from  oblivion  yet  a  little  longer.  With  what  words  can  I 
sufiiciently  thank  you  for  all  this  ?  I  am  at  a  loss  to  ex- 
press my  own  burning  sense  of  obligation  to  you. 

That  you  would  place  somewhere  and  somehow  in  this 
practically  new  edifice,  a  visible  symbol  of  your  love  and 
veneration  for  Dr.  Montgomery,  that  man  of  blessed 
memory,  that  sweet-mannered,  sweet-voiced,  persuasive, 
eloquent  preacher  and  devoted  apostle  of  truth,  the  man 
who  was,  in  great  part,  the  source  of  your  organization  as 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  35 

a  church,  who  helped  you  through  your  early  struggles 
ami  at  last  to  a  fair  name  aud  a  substantial  influence  in 
this  city  and  in  the  denomination  ;  the  man  who,  after  his 
resignation,  remained  and  dwelt  with  you  for  several 
decades,  still  continually  aiding  you  by  his  unabated  sym- 
pathies and  wise  counsels,  and  who,  when  he  died,  be- 
queathed to  you  the  rich  legacy  of  a  noble,  far-reaching, 
faultless  example  —  that  you  would  do  for  that  pastor  just 
what  you  have  done,  was  expected  ;  that  you  would  do  the 
same  for  Dr.  Saxe,  another  eminent  and  beloved  pastor  of 
yours,  that  strong,  brilliant  master  of  the  pulpit,  who 
earned  wide  glories  for  himself  and  as  wide  glories  for 
you,  the  pastor  who  came  almost  in  his  youth  and  grew 
gray  in  faithful  service  to  you ;  that  you  would  honor  him 
and  honor  yourselves,  in  the  way  j'ou  have  done,  was  also 
expected ;  but  that  you  would  include  me  in  such  a  com- 
memoration, and  in  the  division  of  your  honors,  was 
neither  so  natural  nor  so  fitting.  My  ministry  here  was 
comparatively  short  and  its  results  comparatively  meager. 
My  pastorship  coming  between  those  two  suffered  the  dis- 
advantages of  contrast  and  of  being  overshadowed  by  the 
others.  In  another  sense  my  position  was  a  favorable  one. 
What  I  would  not  have  been  able  to  do  was  done  already 
by  my  predecessor.  Dr.  Montgomery ;  and  what  I  failed 
to  do  was  taken  up  and  carried  on  by  my  successor.  Dr. 
Saxe,  and  now  I  feel  justified  in  counting  it  a  piece  of 
good  fortune  that  I  held  such  a  relation,  since  your 
magnanimous  and  magnificent  kindness  has  raised  me 
to  the  side  of  those  men,  made  me  a  companion  in  their 
honors,  and  where  the  qualities  I  lacked  are  reflected  on 
me. 

The  symbolical  grouping  you  have  made  of  the  mem- 
ories of  your  pastors,  in  those  windows,  harmonize  well 
with  the  unity  of  our  relations  with  one  another.     We 


»«  JAMES  H.    TVTTLE 

were  friends  ;  we  were  often  together ;  we  stood  together 
many  times  in  tliis  pulpit ;  we  were  always  together  in  our 
religious  views,  plans,  and  methods  of  work.  Perhaps  the 
instances  are  rare  in  which  three  ministers  knew  each 
other  and  loved  each  other  so  long  —  over  half  a  century 
—  and  whose  paths  in  life  were  so  nearly  parallel.  You 
can  imagine  how  the  breaking  of  our  ranks  broke  our 
hearts ;  what  regret  and  sorrow  we  feel  to-day  that  Dr. 
Montgomery  is  not  here  to  witness  with  us  this  wonder- 
ful scene,  to  witness  this  beautiful  culmination  of  the 
kindly  honors  the  Universalist  Church  in  Rochester  has 
bestowed  on  its  pastors. 

My  friends,  I  might  enlarge  on  these  reflections,  on  the 
varied  reminiscences  that  fill  my  mind  this  morning,  but 
I  forbear.  But  I  have,  in  conclusion,  an  intense  desire  to 
assure  you  that  no  kindness  ever  shown  me  has  touched 
me  as  has  this  kindness  which  you  have  shown.  My  days 
are  few,  but  many,  many  will  be  the  recurrences  of  my 
mind  to  this  morning's  delightful  experience,  to  the  roy- 
ally generous  treatment  my  humble  past  and  present  have 
received  from  you.  I  remember  that  during  the  days  I 
was  trying  to  serve  you  as  pastor,  I  not  infrequently  felt 
depressed  because  my  achievements  in  your  behalf  were 
so  much  smaller  than  I  hoped  and  prayed  they  might  be ; 
but  surely  it  was  no  small  thing  that  I  worked  mj^self  so 
far  into  your  hearts  and  into  so  high  a  place  in  your  esti- 
mate of  my  work,  that  you  have  allowed  neither  time  nor 
change  to  take  me  out  of  your  loving  memory.  My 
prayers  for  you  shall  never  cease.  To  the  end  of  my  life 
shall  I  carry  in  my  heart  earnest  wishes  for  your  happi- 
ness, prosperity,  and  peace. 

Affectionately  yours, 

j.  h.  tuttle. 
May  11,  1902. 


THE  LARGER  OPPORTUNITY  37 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  in  closing  this  chapter,  that 
the  fii-st  public  utterances  of  James  H.  Tuttle, 
whicli  have  been  preserved  —  those  in  the  little 
book  already  mentioned  —  and  his  last  public 
utterance,  in  the  letter  above,  should  have  been 
made  in  the  church  at  Rochester,  with  an  interval 
of  forty  years  between  I 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    CHICAGO   MINISTRY  :    PERIOD   OF   THE   CIVIL 
WAR 

Permanent  Organization  —  Regular  Services  Begun  —  The 
Coming  of  Mr.  Tuttle  —  First  Sunday  in  Chicago  —  Instal- 
lation Services  —  Building  a  House  of  Worship  —  The 
Building  Completed  —  The  Civil  War  —  A  Sunday-school 
Drill-room  —  The  Parting  Scene  —  Sword  Presentation  — 
How  a  Young  Soldier  Remembered  —  In  Labors  Abundant 
—  Progress  Through  Difficulties. 

The  Second  Universalist  Church  of  Chicago 
had  passed  through  a  very  checkered  career.  The 
original  organization  under  this  name  —  an  off- 
shoot from  the  First  Church  —  had  disbanded 
early  in  1848,  on  account  of  inability  to  pay  run- 
ning expenses.^ 

PERMANENT    ORGANIZATION 

A  few  years  later,  when  the  west  side  of  the 
city  had  developed  and  some  of  the  members  of 
the  First  Church  had  become  residents  of  that 
section,  another  attempt  was  made  to  start  a 
Second  Church  —  this  time  in  a  new  part  of  the 
city.  A  meeting  of  those  interested  in  the  move- 
ment was  held  February  15, 1854,  at  the  residence 

*  For  much  of  the  material  in  this  chapter,  the  writer  is 
indebted  to  a  paper  by  Mrs.  J.  C.  Vaughn,  daughter  of  A.  G. 
Throop,  and  to  Mrs.  Livermore's  My  Story  of  the  War. 

88 


THE   CHICAGO   MINISTRY  39 

of  James  H.  Rees,  northwest  corner  of  Washington 
and  Clinton  streets ;  and  here  a  legal  organization 
was  formed.  Mr.  Rees  was  himself  elected  chair- 
man of  this  meeting  and  B.  A.  Kent,  secretary. 
A  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted  and  offi- 
cers elected.  The  first  trustees  were  J.  H.  Rees, 
A.  H.  Heald,  and  B.  F.  Walker.  These  trustees 
qualified  and  affixed  their  names  to  the  certificate 
of  organization,  which  was  entered  in  the  Cook 
County  recorder's  office,  March  14,  1854.  This 
was  the  new  beginning.  Tliis  organization  has 
been  continuous  down  to  the  present  day.  While 
the  legal  organization  of  the  society  was  thus 
effected,  there  is  no  record  that,  at  tliis  time,  ser- 
vices were  held  for  worship  or  that  a  Sunday- 
school  was  established ;  but  business  meetings 
were  regularly  held,  and  every  energy  was  directed 
towards  securing  a  subscription  for  a  lot  and  a 
house  of  worship.  Finally,  a  lot  was  bought  on 
the  southwest  corner  of  Halstead  and  Washing- 
ton streets,  where  later  stood  the  Home  National 
Bank.  The  resources  of  the  infant  society  seem 
to  have  been  exhausted  in  papng  for  this  lot, 
which  was  bought  for  12,700,  on  August  25, 
1855.  Later,  in  1860,  it  was  sold  for  |200  less 
thancost,and  proceeds  devoted  to  the  meeting-house 
which  was  finally  built  on  Sangamon  street.  For 
the  next  two  years,  the  affairs  of  the  society  seem 
to  have  lain  dormant.     Even  the  business  meetings 


40  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

were  few  and  irregular,  and  the  year  1857  —  the 
year  of  the  great  financial  panic,  shows  no  record 
of  any  meeting  for  any  purpose. 

KEGUIiAR  SERVICES  BEGUN 

But  a  better  day  is  coming.  The  turning-point 
was  Monday  evening,  January  4,  1858.  In  re- 
sponse to  a  call  for  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
society,  many  came.  The  meeting  was  held  at 
West  Hall,  of  the  West  Market,  on  Randolph 
street,  in  Market  Square.  A.  G.  Throop  was 
chosen  moderator.  Andrew  Akin,  J.  F.  Irwin, 
and  B.  A.  Kent  were  elected  trustees  for  the  year 
1858.  P.  W.  Gates  was  elected  treasurer  and  A. 
Wample,  clerk.  The  election  of  officers  accom- 
plished, the  great  question  was  put  to  the  meeting : 
Whether  the  time  had  not  come  to  open  public 
services  and  sustain  a  Universalist  preacher  on  the 
west  side  of  the  city  of  Chicago.  There  was  but 
one  sentiment.  So  long  had  the  society  tried  to 
sustain  itself  simply  as  a  business  organization; 
so  long  had  they  worked  to  build  their  meeting- 
house first,  that  they  now  began  to  realize  that 
they  had  started  at  the  wrong  end.  First  of  all, 
cultivate  religion  and  the  spirit  of  worship,  and 
the  temple  will  come.  This  is  the  divine  order. 
So  a  committee  was  appointed  to  secure  a  preacher. 

The  first  few  services  were  held  in  the  Market 
Hall,  mentioned  above,  by  Rev.  A.  C.  Barry,  of 


THE  CHICAGO   MINISTRY  41 

Racine,  Wisconsin.  Mr.  Barry  was  asked  to 
preach  on  alternate  Sundays,  but  could  not  leave 
his  Racine  pastorate  until  the  end  of  September, 
and  this  was  March.  The  pulpit  was  supplied  in 
the  interval  by  Rev.  D.  P.  Livermore,  who  organ- 
ized the  church  within  tlie  society,  and  received 
thirty-four  members  into  its  fellowship,  May  19, 
1858.  A  year  before  this,  Mr.  Livermore  had 
resigned  the  pastorate  of  the  Universalist  church 
at  Quincy,  111.,  and  had  come  to  Chicago  to  edit 
tlie  New  Covenant,  the  organ  of  the  denomina- 
tion in  the  West.  It  is  recoi-ded  of  his  wife,  the 
distinguished  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Livermore,  that  "  she 
was  a  valuable  and  generous  helper  in  those  days ; 
nor  did  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Livermore  end  their  services 
with  this  six  months'  engagement,  but  were  will- 
ing and  faithful  workers  through  several  subse- 
quent years,  while  the  society  was  struggling  to 
gain  a  foothold  and  pay  its  way."  Rev.  A.  C. 
Barry  was  the  first  regularly  installed  pastor. 
The  Third  Presbyterian  church  building  had  been 
secured  for  services,  at  a  rental  of  $400  per  year, 
and  here  Mr.  Barry  began  his  work.  His  minis- 
tr}^  extended  over  but  one  year  —  from  October 
1858  to  October  1859;  but  that  one  year  demon- 
strated that  Universalist  services  could  be  held, 
and  that  a  Universalist  minister  could  be  sus- 
tained, on  the  west  side  of  the  city  of  Chicago. 
The  experiment  had  been  made  and  was  success- 


42  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

ful.     There  was  room  for  the  movement;    there 
was  a  demand  for  its  message. 

THE    COMING    OF   MR.    TUTTLE 

When  the  society  found  that  the  ministry  of 
Mr.  Barry  would  close  with  his  year,  they  began 
to  cast  about  for  his  successor.  A  committee, 
consisting  of  H.  W.  Lewis  and  A.  G.  Throop, 
were  sent  to  the  General  Convention,  which  that 
year  (1859)  was  held  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  to 
secure  a  minister.  When  they  came  to  Rochester, 
met  the  pastor  of  the  church  with  which  the  con- 
vention was  held,  heard  of  what  he  had  done  in 
that  city  —  how  he  had  faced  a  great  crisis  suc- 
cessfully, had  built  up  to  power  and  permanence 
a  society  that  might  easily  have  gone  down,  but 
for  him ;  when  they  came  within  the  sphere  of  his 
magnetic  influence  —  it  was  no  wonder  they  felt 
that  the  man  had  been  found  for  the  young  and 
struggling  church  in  the  metropolis  of  the  West. 
The  people  of  Rochester  did  not  wish  him  to  go, 
and  Mr.  Tuttle  himself,  happy  and  successful  in 
his  work,  had  no  reason  for  making  a  change. 
The  only  motive  that  influenced  him  was  a  strong 
sense  of  duty.  It  seemed  as  if  there  lay  before 
him  a  great  opportunity  to  serve  his  denomination 
and  the  faith  he  loved.  The  Universalist  churches 
in  the  West  were  few  and  scattered;  they  were 
weak  and  struggling.     It  was  difficult  to  secure 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  48 

the  type  of  man  for  their  pulpits  who  gave  assur- 
ance of  success.  So  when  the  call  came,  Mr. 
Tuttle  accepted,  and  began  his  ministry  in  the 
Second  Church  of  Chicago,  the  second  Sunday  in 
December,  1859,  and  remained  as  pastor  until 
April  1,  1866.  Says  Mrs.  Vaughn :  *'  They  were 
wonderful  years ;  years  of  poverty  and  struggle, 
of  war  and  its  calamities  and  sorrows.  Yet  years 
of  indomitable  courage  and  energy  and  of  willing 
self-sacrifice.  Never  have  the  annals  of  this  so- 
ciety recorded  more  fervent  zeal,  more  self-forget- 
ting love  for  one  another,  for  their  pastor  and  his 
family,  for  their  church  and  for  their  country. 
Memory  holds  fast  the  scenes  and  events  of  that 
time,  and  its  loves  and  friendships  are  as  death- 
less as  immortality." 

FIRST   SUNDAY   IN   CHICAGO 

So  Mr.  Tuttle  came  to  the  west  side,  Chicago, 
and  took  up  the  heavy  burden.  "  I  well  remem- 
ber," says  James  H.  Swan,  "  that  first  Sunday  of 
Bro.  Tuttle's  service  with  us.  It  was  a  lovely 
autumn  day.  The  people  were  eager  to  see  and 
hear  the  man  who  had  left  a  well-organized  parish 
in  Rochester,  X.  Y.,  where  he  was  greatly  beloved 
by  a  congregation  that  had  given  a  very  unwilling 
consent  to  his  leaving.  How  I  marveled  that  he 
could  stand  before  that  small  congregation,  in  a 
rented  house,  with  a  questionable  outlook,  and  yet 


44  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

be  so  hopeful  and  earnest  even  to  enthusiasm ! " 
But  there  he  stood,  his  face  aglow  and  his  tongue 
eloquent  with  the  message  of  hope  and  courage ; 
and  as  the  people  listened,  they  began  to  believe 
in  themselves  and  their  possibilities.  To  have 
such  a  man,  with  his  undying  confidence  in  God 
and  in  humanity,  for  their  leader,  was  enough. 
They  felt  that,  under  his  inspiration,  they  could 
accomplish  anytliing ;  they  put  their  hands  to  the 
plow  and  did  not  turn  to  look  back.  They  set 
their  faces  and  hearts  towards  the  future.  The 
results  were  soon  to  appear. 

INSTALLATION 

Although  Mr.  Tuttle  began  his  Chicago  ministry 
in  December,  1859,  he  was  not  installed  until  the 
following  February.  A  program  of  the  services 
has  been  preserved,  and  is  worth  inserting  here, 
especially  as  it  contains  in  full  the  hymn  written 
by  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Livermore  for  the  occasion : 

Installation  of  Rev.  James  H.  Tuttle,  as  Pastor  of  Second 
Universalist  Society,  in  Chicago,  III.,  Thursday  evening, 
Februarg  9,  1860. 

ORDER   OF   SERVICE 

ANTHEM 

1.  Invocation. 

2.  Reading  of  Scriptures     .     by  Rev.  Robert  Collyer. 

3.  Hymn,  "  Lord!  on  thy  Zion's  wall" 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  45 

4.    Sermon by  Dr.  J.  A.  Skinner. 

6.    Hymn     .     .     composed  by  Mrs.  M.  A.  Livermore. 

A  few  brief  moons  have  waxed  and  waned, 
Since  first  we  raised  an  altar  here, 

And  bowed  around  it,  faint  and  few. 
Uncertain  if  to  hope  or  fear. 

To-night,  Oh  God,  a  gathering  host. 
We  come  assured  of  heavenly  care ; 

For  lo,  Thy  servant  leads  us  now. 
In  answer  to  our  earnest  prayer. 

From  ripening  fields  of  early  toil, 
Here  has  he  come  the  seed  to  sow  — 

To  him,  to  us,  the  toiling  hand  — 
To  Thee  we  must  the  harvest  owe. 

What  do  we  then  without  Thine  aid  ? 

We  wait  for  Thee  to  bless  and  guide — 
Oh,  Faith,  anoint  our  eyes  to  see 

Our  Father,  working  at  our  side  ! 

Then,  little  flock,  cast  fear  away! 

Oh  Pastor,  gird  thee  and  be  strong ! 
For  God  will  crown  the  weary  toil 

With  golden  sheaf  and  harvest  song ! 

6.  Installing  Prayer   ....  by  Rev.  J.  S.  Dennis. 

7.  Delivery    of    Scriptures 

and  Charge by  Rev.  Josiah  Davis. 

8.  Right   Hand   of   Fellow- 

ship      by  Rev.  W.  H.  Ryder. 

9.  Address  to  the  Society     .    by  Rev.  H.  L.  Hayward. 

10.  Anthem. 

11.  Benediction by  the  Pastor. 


46  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

BUILDING   A  HOUSE   OF   WORSHIP 

The  society  soon  outgrew  the  small  building  in 
which  they  were  worshipping  when  Mr.  Tuttle 
first  stood  in  the  pulpit.  The  first  aim  of  the  new 
pastor  and  his  people  was  the  building  of  a  house 
of  worship.  This  work  is  a  chapter  of  heroic 
sacrifice  in  which  the  pastor  and  his  wife  led  the 
way.  First,  a  lot  was  secured  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  Washington  and  Sangamon  streets. 
Then,  at  last,  a  frame  church  was  built,  at  a  cost, 
including  furnishings,  of  $6,477.31.  To  quote 
again  from  the  paper  by  Mrs.  Vaughn :  "  Though 
the  money,  $2,500,  obtained  by  the  sale  of  their 
church  lot,  went  into  the  building,  yet  it  was  a 
large  undertaking  for  the  young,  struggling  society, 
and  the  subscription  paper  would  have  been  worth 
preserving.  It  was  headed  with  a  subscription  of 
$100,  to  be  paid  in  day's  work  at  $1.50  per  day  by 
a  member  (A.  G.  Throop)  who  had  recently  met 
with  heavy  financial  losses,  and  it  was  faithfully 
paid.  Then  followed  $200,  to  be  paid  in  masonry, 
then  $50,  $25,  $10,  all  small  sums,  though  gener- 
ous gifts  in  accordance  with  the  ability  of  the 
givers.  Dr.  Tuttle  was  the  largest  subscriber. 
He  gave  $500  and  remitted  $500  of  his  salary. 
Then  he  and  his  wife  kept  boarders  to  make  both 
ends  meet.  One  act  of  their  supreme  generosity 
at  this  time,  never  known  to  the  society,  was  the 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  47 

giving  of  a  memorial  window  to  the  Richfield 
Springs,  N.Y.,  society,  in  the  name  of  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer.  The  importuning  letter  from 
that  society  fell  into  Dr.  Tuttle's  hands,  and  he 
and  his  wife,  knowing  the  straits  of  their  people, 
resolved  to  withhold  the  letter  from  the  trustees, 
to  work  a  little  harder,  to  economize  a  little  closer, 
and  to  send  the  money  themselves.  To-day  the 
window  reads,  '  The  gift  of  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer  of  Chicago.'  " 

THE  BUILDING  COMPLETED 

What  body  of  people  could  not  accomplish 
wonders  under  such  self-denying  and  devoted 
leadership?  The  long  days  of  toil  and  conflict 
ended  in  victory.  At  length  the  new  building 
was  finished.  First  came  the  dedication  of  the 
Sunday-school  room.  Mr.  Swan,  who  was  present, 
says,  "  I  can  never  forget  the  glowing  countenance 
of  Brother  Tuttle  on  that  happy  Sunday  morning. 
The  small  Sunday-school  had  grown  in  numbers 
and  enthusiasm.  The  average  attendance  for  the 
year  had  been  250,  and  with  every  available  seat 
filled,  no  wonder  the  pastor's  heart  was  full  to 
overflowing."  The  dedication  of  the  church 
building  proper  took  place  a  few  days  later,  and  at 
Mr.  Tuttle's  suggestion,  it  was  dedicated  as  the 
"  Church  of  the  Redeemer."  The  congregations 
increased.     The  Sunday-school,  in  a   short  time, 


48  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

enrolled  500  members,  making  it  by  far  the  largest 
Liberal  Sunday-school  in  the  West.  A  Bible 
class  for  young  men  was  organized,  which  soon 
became  a  power  in  the  life  and  work  of  the  church. 
In  March,  1862,  the  Skinner  library  was  purchased. 
Such  of  the  books  as  were  appropriate  were  placed 
in  the  Sunday-school  library,  the  others  in  the 
conference  room,  where  a  sort  of  free  reading-room 
was  opened.  This  gave  rise  to  the  Skinner  Library 
Association.  Out  of  this  association,  a  Young 
Men's  Debating  Club  grew ;  and  this  included 
among  its  officers  and  members  many  from  ortho- 
dox churches  also.  Thus  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer  grew  and  flourished,  compacting  its  own 
organization  and  extending  its  influence  abroad. 
The  pastor  and  his  wife  were  beginning  to  reap 
the  harvest  from  the  seed  they  had  sown  in  toil 
and  hardship. 

THE  CIVIL  WAR 

Then  came  days  of  darkness.  Not  on  account 
of  dissensions  in  the  church.  There  could  be  no 
dissensions  under  such  a  man.  Not  on  account  of 
dissatisfaction  with  the  pastor.  They  loved  him 
dearly.  The  great  Civil  War  had  come  upon  the 
land.  What  it  meant  was  soon  apparent.  It 
meant  that  homes  must  be  broken  up.  It  meant 
that  business  must  become  demoralized.  It 
meant    that    church   ties    must  be  sundered.     It 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  49 

meant  that  every  other  interest  must  be  sunk  out  of 
sight,  if  need  be,  for  the  sake  of  the  Union.  Mr. 
Tuttle  realized  all  this.  He  saw  what  was  coming ; 
but  he  was  devoted  to  his  country,  he  believed 
with  all  his  heart  in  the  Union  and  what  it  stood 
for.  In  the  call  for  troops,  he  heard  the  voice  of 
God.  Mrs.  Livermore  says,  in  3Ij/  Story  of  the 
War: 

There  was  an  unusually  large  number  of  interesting 
young  people  in  the  —  (Second  Universalist)  Society  of 
Chicago,  when  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  began.  The  older 
members  of  the  parish  felt  that  the  church  had  in  itself 
more  than  ordinary  strength  and  promise,  because  of  the 
well-born,  well-bred,  well-educated,  and  consecrated  young 
men  and  women  who  confessed  loving  allegiance  to  its 
faith  and  its  interests.  Especially  were  they  proud  of  its 
young  men.  .  .  .  Some  were  about  to  enter  Harvard,  Tufts, 
or  Yale,  and  all  were  connected  with  good  families.  .  .  . 
The  Sundaj'-school  was  large,  numbering  more  than  five 
hundred  teachers  and  scholars  who  packed  the  vestries  and 
parlors  of  the  church  every  Sunday,  regardless  of  outside 
attractions.  Into  this  school  was  harnessed  our  entire 
force  of  young  men  and  maidens,  who  did  duty  as  teachers, 
librarians,  singers,  or  members  of  the  Bible  class.  .  .  . 
What  marvelous  festivals  and  pleasure  parties  they  extem- 
porized in  those  days!  Into  what  delightful  rural  fetes 
and  excursions  were  we  older  people  enticed  by  these 
young  folks  who  led  us  captive  to  their  will !  What  con- 
tinual surprises  they  planned  for  the  bewilderment  of  the 
pastor,  and  the  no  less  beloved  pastor's  wife !  How  they 
swarmed  at  the  fortnightly  church  sociables,  and  with  their 
brightness  and  buoyancy,  their  contagious  good  nature  and 


60  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

overflowing  hilarity,  their  wit  and  cleverness,  their  unsel- 
fishness and  tact,  made  each  of  these  small  occasions  more 
inviting  than  a  grand  banquet.  I  recall  the  memory  of 
those  days,  removed  into  the  past  forever,  not  with  pleasure 
alone,  but  with  a  sense  of  loss. 

This  is  the  picture  drawn  by  Mrs.  Livermore  of 
those  bright  and  happy  days  in  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer,  Chicago,  just  preceding  the  awful 
storm  that  rocked  the  nation.  But  parish  as  well 
as  pastor  were  loyal  to  the  Union,  and  gave  their 
means  and  their  young  men  —  and  older  ones,  too 

—  to  the  great  cause. 

A   SUNDAY-SCHOOL  DRILL-BOOM 

From  the  same  chapter  in  Mrs.  Livermore's  book, 
the  following  account  is  taken: 

One  evening  in  the  summer  of  1862  there  happened  to 
be  two  meetings  in  the  vestry  —  one  of  Sunday-school 
teachers  in  the  library  room,  and  another  of  some  sort  in 
the  small  Sunday-school  room.  We  missed  our  young 
men  teachers,  but  went  on  with  the  business  of  the  evening 
without  them.  Something  unusual  must  have  detained 
them,  we  said,  for  they  were  rarely  absent  from  meetings 
of  this  kind.  "  What  is  going  on  in  the  Stmday-school 
room  ?  "  was  asked.  No  one  knew.  But  all  the  evening 
we  heard  a  muffled,  peculiar,  regular  sound  proceeding 
thence  —  tramp !  tramp  !  tramp  !  —  tramp  !  tramp  !  tramp  ! 

—  which  we  could  not  explain.  .  .  .  Our  meeting  ended, 
we  stealthily  opened  the  door  and  looked  in.  There  were 
our  missing  young  men,  and  they  were  drilling.  .  .  .  The 
drill-master  was  the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school, 


THE  CHICAGO  MIXISTRY  61 

who  had  organized  it  in  the  beginning,  and  had  brought  it 
to  its  present  efficiency  and  size.   .  .   .    lietore  we  could 

ask  an  explanation  of  this  unusual  proceeding,  Mr.  S 

(James  11.  Swan) ,  had  vouchsafed  it :  "  We  have  all  decided 
to  enlist  in  the  Chicago  Mercantile  Battery  now  being 
foniied,  and  shall  hand  in  our  names  to-morrow."  .  .  To 
our  prophetic  vision,  the  future  loomed  up  clad  with  the 
sorrow,  anxiety,  and  grief  it  afterwards  bore.  ••  Let  this 
cup  pass  from  us  "  was  the  unspoken  prayer  of  every  heart. 

.   .   .  Mr.  T (Tuttle),  our  minister,  spoke  first,  with 

tremulous  voice  and  eyes  glistening  with  tears  :  "It  will  be 
very  hard  to  give  you  up,  and  we  shall  miss  you  inex- 
pressibly ;  but  if  you  feel  it  to  be  your  duty,  go,  and  God 
bless  you ! " 

They  went,  as  they  had  planned.  The  follow- 
ing day  they  were  mustered  into  tlie  Chicago  Mer- 
cantile Battery,  and  ever  after  were  known  to  the 
members  of  the  church  and  society  as  "  Our  Bat- 
tery Boys." 

THE   PARTING   SCENE 

Before  these  young  soldiers  went  to  the  front, 
they  gathered  one  Sunday  morning  in  the  house  of 
worship  they  loved,  and  in  whose  building  they 
had  helped ;  the  house  that  had  been  the  scene  of 
their  Christian  work,  and  from  whose  pulpit  they 
had  heard  the  words  that  had  made  them  lovers  of 
God  and  of  country.  Some  of  them  were  never 
more  to  cross  its  threshold ;  in  a  strange  land  and 
among  strangers,  their  graves  were  to  be  made. 
But  on  this  bright  August  morning  they  came  to 


S«^ « '^'•"* 


52  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

say  farewell  to  parents  and  friends,  and  to  listen 
to  the  last  message  of  the  pastor  they  loved.  Mr. 
Tuttle  "  besought  them  to  guard  well  their  health 
and  morals,  not  only  for  their  own  sakes,  but  for 
the  sake  of  those  who  remained  at  home.  They 
were  entreated  to  return,  if  they  came  at  all,  as 
good  and  pure  as  they  were  leaving.  They  were 
instructed  that  the  war  was  caused  by  slavery,  and 
would  only  end  with  the  death  of  slavery,  and 
the  transformation  of  the  slave  into  a  free  man ;  and 
they  were  cautioned  not  to  side  with  the  persecu- 
tors of  this  long  down-trodden  people."  Then  the 
communion  was  administered ;  after  which  the 
pastor  presented  each  young  soldier  a  pocket  Tes- 
tament, with  the  request  that  it  be  read  daily, 
unless  circumstances  should  make  it  impossible. 
He  pledged  to  them  "the  public  prayers  of  the 
church  on  every  Sabbath  until  their  return,  or 
their  relief  from  service  by  death.  He  promised 
that  their  friends  and  families  should  be  the  special 
charge  of  the  church,  which  would  rejoice  in  their 
joy,  and  sorrow  in  their  sorrow,  and  when  circum- 
stances demanded  it,  would  match  their  need  with 
requisite  aid."  The  services  were  closed  with  a 
hymn  written  for  the  occasion  by  Mrs.  Livermore: 

So  here  we  part !  our  paths  diverge  — 

Each  leads  a  different  way : 
You  go  to  freedom's  holy  war, 

We  tarry  here  to  pray. 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  63 

Our  hands  join  brief  in  farewell  now, 

That  ne'er  so  clasped  before  : 
O  brothers,  in  this  parting  hour, 

Death's  bitterness  is  o'er. 

Yet  proudly,  tho'  with  hearts  that  ache, 

We  give  to  you  "  Godspeed  ! " 
Haste,  for  our  country  gasjjs  for  life  — 

This  is  her  hour  of  need. 
Her  anguished  cry  comes  on  the  breeze. 

And  smites  the  listening  ear ; 
The  traitor's  sword  is  at  her  heart  — 

And  shall  ye  linger  here  ? 

Nay,  brothers,  haste  !  with  blessings  crowned. 

Engirded  with  our  love ; 
Our  hourly  pra3'ers,  besieging  Heaven, 

Shall  plead  for  you  above. 
Your  dear  ones  left  in  lonely  homes 

Shall  hence  our  lot  divide  ; 
We  are  but  one  blest  household  now. 

Whatever  ma}'  betide. 

We  will  not  weep !  be  done  with  tears  ! 

Both  paths  lead  home  to  Heaven  — 
That  marked  for  you  thro'  battle-fields, 

And  that  which  God  has  given 
To  us,  who,  weary,  watch  afar 

The  tide  of  battle  swell  — 
Then  hearts  be  brave!  and  souls  be  strong! 

'Tis  but  a  brief  farewell ! 

The  hymn  was  sung,  but  "  the  chorus  of  voices 
became  less  in  volume  as  the  song  proceeded. 
One   after  another  ceased  to  sing,   because   they 


54  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

could  not  forbear  to  weep.  And  by  the  time  the 
last  stanza  was  reached,  our  boys  were  singing 
alone,  clear,  strong,  and  unfaltering." 

SWORD   PRESENTATION 

A  few  days  later,  the  pastor  paid  his  "  boys  "  a 
last  visit  at  Camp  Douglas.  On  this  occasion,  he 
presented  to  the  lieutenant,  a  sword,  bearing  this 
inscription  :  "  Presented  to  Lieut.  James  H.  Swan, 
by  his  pastor.  Rev.  James  H.  Tuttle,  September, 
1862."  These  were  his  words  of  presentation: 
"  Take  it ;  let  it  be  not  only  a  memento  of  a 
pastor's  prayers  and  love,  but  a  reminder  of  your 
duty  to  your  country  and  your  God.  What  the 
fortunes  of  war  may  bring  to  you,  we  know  not ; 
all  these  are  in  the  keeping  of  a  wise  and  good 
God.  Have  no  undue  anxiety  for  the  dear  ones 
you  leave  behind  ;  they  will  live  in  the  hearts  that 
love  you,  and  the  Providence  that  has  hitherto 
kept  you  when  together,  will  faithfully  watch  over 
them  in  your  absence,  and  when  this  cruel  war  is 
over,  we  will  again  renew  the  old  associations  and 
take  up  the  old  duties.  The  blessing  of  God  be 
upon  you. " 

HOW   A   YOUNG    SOLDIER    REMIEMBERED 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  writer  to  follow  the 
fortunes  of  those  who  went  out  from  the  church 
to  the  fields  of  the  Civil  War,  but  rather  to  record 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  65 

the  labors  and  sacrifices  of  the  ones  who  remained  ; 
particularly,  those  of  the  pastor.  But  while  Mr. 
Tuttle  toiled  on,  in  his  decimated  church  at 
Chicago,  his  influence  was  at  work  among  his 
"  boys  "  in  the  Southland.  They  never  forgot  him 
or  his  counsels,  and  his  faith  in  them  helped  to 
keep  them  brave  and  strong  and  pure.  When 
Mrs.  Livermore,  whose  activity  in  the  Sanitary 
Commission  and  among  the  hospitals  was  largely 
prompted  and  always  abetted  by  her  pastor,  paid  a 
visit  to  these  young  soldiers  from  the  Church  of 
the  Redeemer,  sixteen  of  whom  had  been  in  her 
own  Bible  class,  they  greeted  her  with  every 
demonstration  of  joy  and  prepared  a  place  where 
she  might  spend  the  night  in  camp.  Thronging  her 
tent,  they  talked  with  her  of  the  loved  ones  at 
home  until  the  "  tattoo  "  beat  for  retiring.  Before 
withdrawing,  George  Throop  drew  from  his  breast 
pocket  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament,  and  said : 
"  You  know  when  Mr.  Tuttle  took  leave  of  us  in 
church,  he  gave  each  a  Testament  and  made  \is 
promise  to  read  it  daily,  if  possible,  while  we  were 
away.  We  haven't  failed  but  once  or  twice,  and 
then  we  were  on  a  forced  march.  One  reads  aloud 
and  the  others  listen;  and  if  you  are  ^villing,  we'll 
read  here  to-night."  All  heads  were  instantly  un- 
covered, the  hum  of  conversation  ceased,  and  a  por- 
tion of  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  Luke's  gospel  was 
read,  after  which  Sergeant  Dyer  offered  prayer. 


56  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

So  the  pastor  wrought  on  the  field  as  well  as  in 
the  cliurch  at  home.  Many  a  soldier  "  rose  up 
to  call  him  blessed." 

IN   LABORS   ABUNDANT 

Through  all  that  trying  period,  by  word  and  in- 
fluence, the  pastor  strengthened  the  cause  of  the 
Union,  and  —  if  such  a  thing  were  possible  —  re- 
doubled his  devotion  to  his  church.  One  who 
passed  through  all  that  dark  and  bitter  experience, 
exclaims :  "  What  suffering,  what  sorrow,  what  re- 
nunciation, what  bravery,  what  endurance,  marked 
those  days  in  the  church,  but  how  it  did  draw 
one  to  the  other,  how  like  one  great  family  they 
stood,  depleted  in  numbers,  mourning  their  dead, 
yet  nothing  daunted,  courage  unabated — so  grandly 
can  men  rise  to  great  occasions  I  "  But  of  all  that 
heroic  band,  none  made  greater  sacrifices  than  the 
pastor.  His  house  was  open  day  and  night — for 
those  who  continued  to  go  to  the  front,  and  for 
those  who,  after  a  while,  began  to  drift  back,  sick 
and  maimed,  from  the  field.  He  was  ever  doing 
and  giving.  He  helped  keep  the  fires  of  patriotism 
burning  at  home  and  wrote  messages  of  cheer  and 
courage  to  those  who  were  at  the  front.  The  lieu- 
tenant himself  was  sent  home  sick.  He  records, 
"  The  pastor  was  there  to  meet  and  welcome  me. 
A  severe  illness  that  separated  me  from  the  out- 
side world  ensued ;  but  those  sweet  ministries,  the 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  57 

memory  of  which  gilds  those  dark  days  with  a 
wonderful  glory,  I  knew  came  daily  from  the 
family  of  the  pastor  —  messages  that  could  not  be 
spoken,  tokens  of  remembrance  that  the  fearful 
malady  forbade  should  be  given  by  the  hand  that 
would  gladly  have  presented  them.  How  did  he 
find  time  for  all  these  and  for  the  thousand  and 
one  other  offices  that  were  a  part  of  the  constant 
demand  on  the  time,  strength,  and  sympathy  of  the 
faithful  pastor?  As  I  look  back  over  the  inter- 
vening years,  and  recall  the  fearful  inroads  the 
war  and  its  accompanying  vicissitudes  made  in 
the  parish  and  church,  I  wonder  it  outlived  them 
all.  Nothing  but  the  consecration  of  the  two 
faithful  souls,  with  the  di\dne  blessing  as  its  con- 
stant complement,  could  have  made  its  continued 
existence  possible." 

But  not  only  did  the  sick  and  maimed  drift 
back,  word  came  of  the  dead,  and  there  were 
mourners  to  comfort.  Brave  George  Throop  was 
killed  by  a  fragment  of  a  shell,  as  he  was  urging 
his  men  on  at  the  battle  of  Mansfield.  The  Sun- 
day following  these  tidings,  a  sad  and  weeping 
congregation  gathered  in  the  church.  "  We  re- 
called," says  Mrs.  Livermore,  "  the  hour  when 
from  its  altar  we  had  dismissed  the  now  glorified 
young  leader  to  battle,  to  death,  to  Heaven.  God 
had  granted  him  a  discharge  from  all  earthly  con- 
flict, and   for  him  there  were  no  tears.     We  re- 


58  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

pressed  our  own  lesser  grief  in  the  presence  of  the 
great  bereavement  of  the  parents.  The  choir  sang 
of  victory,  and  their  voices  swelled  in  a  trium- 
phant song  of  thanksgiving  for  the  glorious  hope 
of  immortality  that  illumines  our  darkness.  The 
prayers  of  the  morning  breathed  resignation  to  the 
inscrutable  order  of  Divine  Providence,  which  had 
stricken  us  so  severely,  and  implored  the  peace  of 
Heaven  to  enter  our  souls.  And  the  sermon  lifted 
us  out  of  the  damps  and  fogs  of  our  earthly 
atmosphere  into  the  serene  light  of  the  happy 
hereafter.  Time  has  softened  the  poignancy  of 
grief  felt  during  the  months  that  followed,  and 
memory  and  hope  have  done  much  to  subdue  the 
pain  inflicted  by  that  grievous  wound." 

PROGRESS    THROUGH     DIFFICULTIES 

So  the  work  of  the  church  went  on.  The  strug- 
gle for  funds  to  send  to  the  front  and  to  keep  alive 
the  enterprises  at  home,  was  sharp  and  constant. 
The  building  was  sometimes  rented  to  other  de- 
nominations, at  such  hours  as  not  in  use,  for 
various  services.  But  progress  was  made.  The 
broken  ranks  slowly  filled  up.  Despite  the  scanty 
finances,  an  organ  was  purchased  in  1864,  and  was 
first  played  at  public  worship,  September  18  of 
the  same  year.  Some  of  the  money  to  help  pay 
for  it  came  from  the  soldier  boys  in  the  distant 
army.     Out  of  their  scanty  wages  they  sent  back 


THE  CHICAGO  MINISTRY  59 

offerings  of  love  and  gratitude.  The  church  was 
saved.  Successfully  had  it  been  guided  through 
that  disastrous  period.  Peace  again  smiled  upon 
the  land.  The  survivors  of  the  awful  conflict, 
who  had  gone  out  from  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer, came  back  and  took  their  places.  But 
the  marks  of  those  years  of  suffering  and  privation 
had  written  themselves  into  the  life  of  the  pastor 
and  into  the  life  and  health  of  his  faithful  and 
devoted  ^vife.  Heart  and  hand  and  brain  grew 
weary.  Rest  and  a  change  of  scene  became  neces- 
sary, especially  for  Mrs.  Tuttle.  It  was  hard  to 
leave  the  people  whom  they  loved  and  who  loved 
them  with  an  utter  devotion ;  the  people  to  whom 
they  had  been  bound  by  so  many  ties  of  happiness, 
and  by  the  still  stronger  ties  of  common  suffering. 
But  the  step  seemed  imperative.  On  January  22, 
1866,  Mr.  Tuttle  tendered  his  resignation.  It 
went  into  effect,  April  1.  Thus  closed  a  re- 
markable pastorate  of  seven  years.  Says  Mrs. 
Vaughn,  "  The  society  had  lived  to  a  purpose,  had 
it  ceased  then " ;  but  it  did  not  cease.  It  lived 
on,  and  is  living  to-day. 

In  Chicago,  as  in  Rochester,  Mr.  Tuttle  formed 
friendships  that  were  destined  to  last.  Among  his 
friends  were  Robert  Collyer  —  for  many  years 
pastor  of  Unity  Church  —  witli  whom  he  fre- 
quently exchanged  pulpits,  and  William  Henry 
Ryder,  of  St.  Paul's.     The  Swans,  and  Talcotts, 


60  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

and  Throops,  and  Livermores,  and  many  otTiers 
were  in  the  goodly  company.  He  often  went  back 
to  Chicago  to  visit  these  friends  or  to  take  part  in 
public  gatherings.  No  one  was  ever  more  depen- 
dent upon  the  love  of  his  friends,  and  no  one  ever 
gave  out  so  lavishly  of  his  own  love ;  so  largely 
did  he  live  in  his  sympathies  and  affections.  This 
was,  to  a  great  degree,  the  secret  of  his  wonderful 
influence.  Every  one  felt  that  this  man  had  a  per- 
sonal interest  in  him,  and  he  was  not  mistaken. 
Mr.  Tuttle  knew  how  to  "  rejoice  with  those  who 
rejoiced,  and  to  weep  with  those  who  wept."  The 
writer  recalls  a  visit  made  with  him  to  Chicago, 
shortly  after  our  house  of  worship  in  Minneapolis 
had  been  destroyed  by  fire,  in  1888.  He  took  the 
writer  over  the  familiar  streets,  into  the  houses 
where  he  used  to  live,  and  to  the  old  scenes  hal- 
lowed by  love  and  sacrifice.  Often  he  was  met 
by  this  or  that  old  acquaintance  or  parishioner 
who  stopped  him  and  said :  "  I  have  never  forgot- 
ten you,  Dr.  Tuttle ;  your  sermons  always  did  me 
good;  I  went  away  from  church  a  better  man." 
lo  make  better  men  —  that  is  the  object  of  living 
and  preaching ;  and  the  Chicago  ministry  of  James 
H.  Tuttle  is  one  of  the  monuments  of  his  success. 


CHAPTER    IV 

MINNEAPOLIS:     BEGINNING     OF     A    TWENTY-FIVE 
YEARS'    PASTORATE 

Minneapolis  in  18GG  —  First  Universalist  Society  —  Rev.  Dol- 
phus  Skinner  and  Rev.  J.  W.  Keyes  —  Call  to  Mr.  Tuttle  — 
The  New  Pastorate  —  The  First  Church  Building — The 
First  Organ  —  Increasing  Prosperity  —  Preaching  of  Mr. 
Tuttle. 

In  the  year  1866,  Minneapolis  was  but  a  village. 
Only  sixteen  years  had  elapsed,  since  J.  H.  Stevens 
had  built  the  first  house  upon  its  site.  This  was  a 
small  frame  dwelling,  now  preserved  in  Minnehaha 
Park  where  it  was  drawn  by  a  procession  of  school 
children  some  years  ago.  Minneapolis  did  not  be- 
come incorporated  as  a  city  until  1867.  The  first 
mayor  was  Dorilus  Morrison,  who  was  also  chair- 
man of  the  first  board  of  trustees  of  a  newly  or- 
ganized Universalist  Society.  Across  the  river, 
on  the  east  side,  was  the  thriving  town  of  St. 
Anthony,  incorporated  in  1855.  At  this  time,  the 
two  towns  were  connected  by  the  first  suspension 
bridge  that  spanned  the  river  —  "  a  bridge  which 
swayed  to  and  fro  with  every  tliirty-mile-an-hour 
breeze,  and  which,  on  account  of  the  continual  war 
waging  from  above  and  beneath  and  around,  neces- 
sitated an  extra  session  of  the  city  council  nearly 

61 


62  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

every  other  month  to  order  repairs." '  A  picture 
taken  in  1868  shows  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  in 
their  natural  state,  before  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment had  taken  measures  to  preserve  them  by 
means  of  the  apron  which  now  stretches  across. 
The  torrent  rushes  tumultuously  down,  and  there 
is  little  upon  the  banks  on  either  side  that  one 
would  recognize  to-day.  Even  Nicollet  Island 
looks  like  a  tangled  wilderness,  and  local  poets 
sang  of  its  "  groves."  The  most  prominent  struc- 
ture on  the  east  side  is  the  old  Winslow  House 
—  a  favorite  resort  of  Southern  planters  in  the 
days  before  the  war;  while  on  the  west,  or 
Minneapolis  side,  is  a  large  group  of  saw-mills, 
factories,  and  flour-mills.  In  1866,  the  only  rail- 
road in  this  part  of  the  country  extended  from  St. 
Paul  to  St.  Cloud,  taking  in  Minneapolis  on 
the  way.  By  the  end  of  the  year,  however, 
another  line  was  completed  from  the  South.  These 
were  humble  beginnings ;  but  the  men  of  that  day 
were  men  of  faith  in  the  outcome  of  that  which 
they  had  founded.  They  saw  the  vision  of  a  new 
civilization,  of  which  these  struggling  frontier 
towns  on  either  side  of  the  Mississippi  were  to  be 
the  center,  when  their  frame  shanties  should 
have  changed  to  granite  and  marble,  and  their 
scanty  hundreds  should  have  multiplied  to  thous- 
ands. 

'  Minnesota  Pioneer  Sketches,  by  F.  G.  O'Brien. 


A   TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS'   PASTORATE       63 


FIRST  UNIVERSALIST   SOCIETY 

The  first  attempt  to  organize  a  Universalist 
Society  in  Minneapolis  was  made  October  24, 
1859.'  A  meeting  for  this  purpose  was  called 
at  the  Cataract  House,  on  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Sixth  avenues  South.  Of  this  meet- 
ing W.  D.  Washburn  was  made  chairman,  and 
Richard  Strout,  secretary.  An  organization  was 
formed  and  the  following  trustees  were  elected : 
W.  D.  Washburn,  F.  R.  E.  Cornell,  Thomas  H. 
Perkins,  and  W.  D.  Garland.  The  society  was 
small  and  its  progress  was  slow.  In  1864,  it  re- 
ceived an  impetus  from  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Dol- 
phus  Skinner  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  who  had  come  to 
Minneapolis  for  a  while  to  try  the  renowned  virtues 
of  the  ^Minnesota  climate.  His  presence  soon  be- 
came known ;  and  though  physically  frail  he  yielded 
to  the  urgent  solicitations  of  those  who  knew  his 
great  pulpit  power,  and  began  to  hold  regular  ser- 
vices in  Woodman's  Hall,  comer  of  Washington 
and  Second  avenues  South.  Crowds  came  to  hear 
him  and  he  awakened  a  deep  religious  interest  in 
the  entire  community.  "  He  had  wisdom  and  ex- 
perience, and  knew  how  to  gather  and  to  save  the 
fruits  that  had  ripened  under  his  labors ;  and  hence, 
calling  together  the  most  interested  men  and  women 

•  A  society  was  already  in  existence  in  St.  Anthony,  of 
which  some  account  will  be  given  in  a  later  chapter. 


64  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

in  the  congregation,  he  not  only  reorganized  the 
society,  but  formed  a  church,  solemnly  administer- 
ing the  rites  of  baptism  and  of  the  communion."  ^ 
Dorilus  Morrison  was  elected  chairman  of  the  board 
of  trustees  of  the  reorganized  society,  a  position 
which  he  held  until  the  time  of  his  death  in  1897. 
At  the  close  of  Dr.  Skinner's  labors,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Keyes,  a  graduate  of  the  theological  school  at  Can- 
ton, N.  Y.,  became  the  first  settled  pastor.  He  was 
with  the  church  two  years.  Several  new  names 
were  added  to  the  rolls  duiing  his  ministry,  and 
he  was  instrumental  in  breaking  ground  for  the 
first  house  of  worship  for  the  new  church  and  so- 
ciety, at  the  corner  of  Fifth  street  and  Fourth 
avenue  South.  This  was  a  most  important  move. 
It  indicated  growth  and  activity.  Mr.  Keyes  be- 
gan this  work,  but  he  did  not  remain  to  see  its 
completion.  He  "laid  the  foundation,"  another 
was  destined  to  "  build  thereon."  He  afterwards 
settled  at  Pawtucket,  R.  I.,  but  his  career  was 
brief.  He  was  soon  summoned  from  his  earthly 
labors. 

God's  finger  touched  him  —  and  lie  slept. 

THE   NEVP-   PASTORATE 

The  real  history  of  the  First  Universalist  parish 
of  Minneapolis  is  now  about  to  begin.     All  that 
has   gone   before    has    been   but  the  preparation. 
1  The  Field  and  the  Fruit,  p.  19. 


J 


A    TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS'  PASTORATE      66 

The  following  entry  is  found  in  the  minutes  of  the 
society:  "  On  the  first  Sunday  in  July,  1866,  Rev. 
James  H.  Tuttle,  of  Chicago,  by  invitation  of  the 
society,  preached  in  Harrison  Hall,  and  after  a  few 
weeks  was  engaged  as  permanent  pastor."  The 
story  of  his  splendid  and  heroic  work  in  Chicago 
has  been  told  in  the  preceding  chapter ;  how  suc- 
cessfully he  carried  his  church  through  the  awful 
period  of  the  Civil  War  —  with  what  sacrifice  to 
himself  and  his  noble  wife.  A  change  of  scene 
was  necessary,  and  when  the  call  came  from  Min- 
neapolis, he  and  his  family  set  their  faces  towards 
the  Northwest.  Thenceforth  this  city  was  to  be 
their  home.  Here  the  sons  were  to  grow  to  man- 
hood ;  here  for  years  the  wife  and  mother  was  to 
exert  her  beautiful  influence  and  leave  a  memory 
that  is  fragrant  to-day  ;  here  the  husband  and  father 
was  to  accomplish  the  great  work  of  his  life. 
Writing  years  after  of  this  call,  Mr.  Tuttle  says : 
"  It  may  be  mentioned  as  a  somewhat  singular  co- 
incidence, that  I  should  have  been  called  upon  to 
take  up  the  work  so  auspiciously  begun  by  Dr. 
Skinner ;  as  he  was  one  of  the  first  Universalist 
ministers  I  saw  and  heard  about  in  my  youth,  and  we 
had  been  for  long  years  warm  and  almost  intimate 
friends.  He  officiated  at  my  marriage.  He 
preached  the  sermon  at  the  funeral  of  my  father 
and  of  one  of  my  sisters.  So  the  church  seemed 
and  still  seems  dearer  to  me,  because  he  laid  his 


66  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

hand  on  it  and  blessed  it."  ^  The  call  was  made  for 
one  year;  but  no  word  was  ever  afterwards  said 
about  renewing  it  or  terminating  the  pastoral  rela^ 
tions.  The  work  went  on.  Time  went  on.  No 
oflQcial  action  was  ever  taken  or  asked,  and  by  mutual 
consent  the  one  year  was  extended  to  twenty-five. 

THE   FIRST    CHURCH    BUTLDING 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Tuttle's  coming,  services 
were  held  in  Harrison's  Hall.  Here  he  preached 
his  first  sermon  and  here  he  continued  to  preach 
for  some  months.  The  house  of  worship  then  in 
process  of  construction  was  finished  and  dedicated 
in  October  of  the  same  year,  1866.  The  dedica- 
tion sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  D.  M.  Reed,  of 
Rockford,  Illinois,  and  Rev.  Sumner  Ellis,  of  Chi- 
cago, assisted  in  the  services.  Looking  back  upon 
those  days  when  he  was  in  the  beginning  of  his 
Minneapolis  ministry,  Mr.  Tuttle  says :  "  This 
new  wooden  temple  would  seem  humble  enough 
now,  doubtless  ;  but  it  was  worth  the  much  enthu- 
siastic pride  we  took  in  it  then.  It  was  centrally 
located,  convenient,  large  enough  for  the  time, 
and  not  without  architectural  attractions.  ...  It 
seated  about  four  hundred,  and  was  generally  well 
filled,  often  crowded.  It  cost,  including  the  fur- 
nishings, about  il8,000  ;  much  more,  as  usual,  than 
was  expected  at  the  start.  Its  walls  and  ceilings 
1  The  Field  and  the  Fruit,  p.  21. 


A    TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS'  PASTORATE      67 

displayed  the  first  piece  of  fresco  work  done  in 
Minneapolis."  ^ 

The  resources  of  the  society  were  taxed  to  the 
utmost  in  building  this  edifice,  and  for  some  years 
great  economy  had  to  be  practiced  in  running  ex- 
penses. As  an  illustration  of  the  humble  way  in 
which  it  was  necessary  to  do  things  in  those  early 
days,  the  following  resolution  from  the  minutes  of 
March  3,  1868,  will  serve :  "  Resolved  that  H.  L. 
Birge  shall  find  some  one  to  sweep  and  dust  the 
church  once  a  week,  and  not  pay  for  same  more 
than  one  dollar  for  each  sweeping  and  dusting." 
It  must  be  remembered  also  that  this  was  in  the 
days  before  church  buildings  were  thrown  open 
every  day  of  the  week,  and  their  numerous  activi- 
ties required  the  constant  presence  of  a  sexton  as 
well  as  of  a  pastor.  All  this  was  to  come  in  good 
time ! 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1866,  the  people 
of  the  First  Universalist  parish  of  Minneapolis 
found  themselves  comfortably  housed,  an  earnest 
and  consecrated  preacher  in  the  pulpit,  the  out- 
look bright  for  growth  and  influence.  Among  the 
families  that  gathered  about  the  devoted  minister 
and  upheld  his  hands  at  this  time  were  the  follow- 
ing: Washburn,  Morrison,  Eastman,  Chowen,  Per- 
kins, Case,  Gibson,  Cornell,  King,  Cayhill,  Birge, 
Aldrich,  Bassett,  Wright,  Dillingham,  Lucas,  Haw- 
'  The  Field  and  the  Fruit,  p.  21. 


68  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

kins,  Lewis,  Wilcox,  Kendall,  and  Elliott.  Of 
those  who  wTought  with  him  then,  in  the  begin- 
ning, there  are  some  who  still  live  and  work  for 
the  church,  but  the  roll  of  those  who  have  an- 
swered the  summons  of  the  Great  Captain  is  long 
—  and  lengthening. 

THE   FIRST   ORGAN 

The  pride  and  glory  of  the  new  church  building 
was  the  organ  made  in  Boston,  which  W.  D. 
Washburn,  "  with  a  generosity  that  was  gratefully 
appreciated  by  the  congregation,"  had  placed  in 
the  choir.  It  was  the  first  large  organ  that  had 
appeared  in  town.  This  instrument  served  through 
all  the  years  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the 
frame  building,  and  was  afterwards  removed  to 
the  stone  structure  on  Eighth  street,  where  it  re- 
mained until  destroyed  in  the  disastrous  fire  of 
1888.  The  first  music  committee  of  which  there 
is  any  record  is  mentioned  in  the  minutes  of  July 
16,  1869  :  "  Messrs.  A.  B.  Barton  and  W.  D.  Wash- 
burn were  chosen  a  ccmimittee  to  employ  and 
organize  a  choir  or  arrange  for  congregational  sing- 
ing as  to  them  may  seem  best,  and  to  have  entire 
control  of  the  music."  One  of  the  first  steps  taken 
by  this  committee  was  to  secure  as  organist  a  Mr. 
Leeds  who  had  come  from  New  England  for  his 
health.  He  did  not  long  continue  to  evoke  "  the 
heavenly  music  from  under  those  keys  and  from 


A    TWEXTY-FIVE  YEARS'   PASTORATE       09 

that  hidden  forest  of  pipes,"  for  he  soon  passed 
away.  His  successor  was  Charles  Marsh  of  Bos- 
ton, who  for  similar  reasons  had  come  to  Minne- 
sota. The  climate  proved  beneficial,  and  for 
eleven  years  he  presided  at  the  organ  —  continu- 
ing after  the  removal  of  the  society  to  Eighth 
street.  The  music  committee  provided  a  choir, 
but  it  was  composed  entirely  of  volunteers  ;  among 
them  Dr.  J.  A.  Bowman,  A.  B.  Barton,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  M.  P.  Hawkins,  Mrs.  Gibson,  and  Mrs. 
Chowen.  "  We  cannot  say,"  remarks  Mr.  Tuttle, 
"  when  the  fashion  of  papng  the  choir  began ;  as 
soon  probably  as  the  ability  to  pay  was  acquired." 
During  eight  years  the  society  worshiped  in 
this  wooden  structure.  It  was  subsequently  sold 
to  the  German  ^Methodists ;  and  many  years  later, 
it  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Of  those  years.  Dr. 
Tuttle  has  written :  "  If  we  were  not  as  rich  then 
as  now,  we  felt  as  rich.  We  were  at  least  a  happy 
people;  have  we  ever,  at  any  time  since,  been 
happier?  We  were  united,  as  we  have  continued 
to  be.  The  historj'  of  our  lives  in  that  place,  and 
in  those  years,  is  written  in  our  hearts,  but  only  a 
fragment  of  it  can  be  transcribed  to  these  pages. 
I  turn  to  that  chapter  in  our  church  experiences, 
deeply  grateful  that  it  was  filled  so  full  of  God's 
goodness  and  our  joy."  ' 

'  The  Field  and  the  Fruit,  p.  24. 


70  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


INCREASING    PROSPERITY 

The  society  was  happy,  united,  prosperous.  The 
best  evidences  of  prosperity  are  certain  resolutions 
taken  from  the  minutes  of  the  board  of  trustees. 
The  first  of  these  is  as  follows :  "  At  a  meeting 
of  the  trustees  held  in  the  office  of  D.  Morrison, 
May  7,  1870,  it  was  resolved  that  Messrs.  Pray 
and  Barton  be  appointed  a  committee  to  get  es- 
timates and  plans  for  enlarging  the  Universalist 
Church."  This  was  about  four  years  after  the 
commencement  of  Mr.  Tuttle's  pastorate.  The 
congregation  is  growing.  The  man  and  his  mes- 
sage are  commanding  attention.  The  second  of 
these  resolutions  is  dated  April  28,  1871 :  "  Re- 
solved that  the  salary  of  the  pastor,  Mr.  Tuttle, 
be  raised  from  |2,000  to  $2,500  per  annum,  and 
that  the  same  commence  from  the  first  day  of 
January,  1871."  This  means  financial  prosperity, 
as  well  as  greater  numbers.  There  is  still  a  third  : 
"  At  a  called  meeting  of  the  trustees  of  the  First 
Universalist  Church  of  Minneapolis,  held  in  the 
office  of  D.  Morrison,  in  the  city  of  Minneapolis, 
on  the  10th  day  of  July,  1871,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Washburn,  a  committee  consisting  of  Messrs. 
Morrison,  Stevens,  and  Barton  was  appointed  to 
investigate  the  matter  of  church  lots  for  erecting 
thereon  the  new  church  edifice  for  the  society, 
and  to  report  at  a  subsequent  meeting."     These 


.t    TWE.\ TV-FIVE   YEARS'  PASTORATE      71 

resolutions  mean  that  in  less  than  five  years  the 
numbers  and  resources  of  the  society  had  so  grown 
that  the  salary  of  the  pastor  was  increased,  the 
quarters  were  not  proving  large  enough  to  accom- 
modate the  people  who  flocked  to  the  church,  and 
the  necessity  had  arisen  of  "  building  more  stately 
mansions."  The  resolutions  speak  for  themselves, 
and  show  what  a  splendid  record  the  First  Uni- 
versalist  Society  was  making.  Rarely  —  if  ever  — 
has  there  been  in  the  denomination  an  instance  of 
such  rapid  and  substantial  progress. 

The  provisions  of  the  resolutions  just  cited 
seem  to  have  been  promptly  and  effectively  carried 
out.  The  lots  were  secured ;  then  came  the  ques- 
tion of  building;  how  much  should  be  expended, 
what  materials  should  be  used,  what  plans  should 
be  followed.  July  17,  1872,  at  a  meeting  of  the 
society  held  at  the  office  of  D.  Morrison,  "  on 
motion  of  W.  S.  King,  resolved  that  when  the 
subscription  is  fully  completed  to  $40,000,  the 
work  upon  the  new  church  be  commenced,"  and 
"D.  Morrison  offered  resolution  that  when  the 
new  church  is  builded,  it  he  of  stone  :  which  motion 
was  carried."  Behind  all  these  outward  evidences 
of  prosperity  lay  the  faithful  work  of  the  pastor 
and  the  solid  character  of  his  people.  No  church 
was  ever  more  fortunate  in  its  leader,  no  leader 
was  ever  more  fortunate  in  his  following.  It  was 
a  rare   combination.     It  was  a  foundation   upon 


72  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

which  all  the  subsequent  influence  and  success  of 
the  church  has  been  built.^ 


THE   PREACHING    OF   MK.    TUTTLE 

During  this  first  period  of  Mr.  Tuttle's  ministry 
in  Minneapolis  —  the  period  that  lay  between  the 
frame  church  building  on  Fifth  street  and  the  stone 
one  on  Eighth  —  his  preaching  was  preeminently 
practical.  It  aimed  to  develop  the  religious  life 
through  the  every-day  business  and  pursuits  of 
men.  It  proclaimed  the  two  great  principles,  love 
to  God  and  love  to  man,  and  strove  to  apply  them 
to  the  concerns  of  the  hour.  Mindful  of  the  days 
at  Rochester  and  the  lessons  he  had  learned  from 
Frederick  Douglass  and  Miss  Anthony,  Mr.  Tuttle 
applied  the  gospel  to  social  and  political  questions 

'  So  much  has  been  said  of  the  character  of  the  people,  that 
one  further  word  in  explanation  may  be  admissible.  The  real 
Mother  Church  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  is  the  Univer- 
salist  Church  of  Livermore,  Maine.  The  building,  venerable 
but  carefully  preserved,  dedicated  in  1828,  stands  upon  the 
original  Washburn  estate,  now  called  "The  Norlands,"  and 
occupied  every  summer  by  Hon.  W.  D.  Washburn.  Many  of 
those  who  were  most  active  in  the  founding  and  early  history 
of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  were  trained  and  schooled  in 
the  Livermore  Church.  The  Washburns,  Prays,  Morrisons, 
Bartons,  Briggses,  Whitmores,  and  others  were  all  brought  up 
in  this  church,  and  learned  their  devotion  to  Universalism  at 
its  altars.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  Church  at  Livermore,  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer  might  not  have  been,  or  its  character 
might  have  been  very  different. 


A    TWENTY-FIVE  YEARS'   PASTORATE      73 

as  well.  Every  problem  is,  in  its  last  analysis,  a 
moral  problem.  The  following  extract  from  the 
diary  of  one  of  his  parishioners,  of  this  {period,  bears 
important  testimony:  "I  rose  this  Sunday  morning 
at  7.30,  breakfasted  at  8.30,  read  Tribune  half  an 
hour,  and  from  9  to  10  did  various  duties  about 
the  house,  and  then  dressed  for  church.  Mr.  Tut- 
tle  gave  us  a  practical  sermon  on  *  Economy ' ;  the 
church  was  well  filled."  ^  He  took  pains  to  explain 
that  Universalism  applied  to  this  world,  as  well  as 
the  next. 

I  have  not  said  anything  of  that  part  of  our  creed  which, 
in  the  public  mind,  distinguishes  us,  more  than  any  other, 
as  a  sect  —  that  is  universal  salvation.  I  had  a  purpose 
in  leaving  this  for  the  last.  I  wanted  to  prove  to  you  that 
the  thought,  and  policy,  and  spirit  of  our  denomination,  do 
not  lie  altogether  in  the  single  doctrine  of  future  destiny  — 
that  this  is  simply  the  crown  to  a  pyramid  of  truths.  Uni- 
versalism is  not  all  summed  up  in  universal  happiness  on 
the  other  side  of  the  grave ;  it  means  universal  fatherhood, 
universal  brotherhood  in  this  world  as  well ;  it  means 
universal  knowledge,  universal  liberty,  universal  temper- 
ance, universal  peace,  universal  love,  universal  charity, 
universal  righteousness  ;  and  all  these  among  men  hei*e  on 
the  earth.  Our  first  concern  is  with  this  life,  to  be  good 
Christians,  good  parents,  good  children,  good  men  and 
women  —  faithful  and  righteous  in  every  position  we  are 
called  to  occupy. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  opposition  to  Univer- 
salism in  Minneapolis  at  this  time  was,  by  no  means, 
•  Minnesota  Pioneer  Sketches,  by  F.  G.  O'Brien,  p.  67. 


74  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

SO  violent  as  that  which  Mr.  Tuttle  had  encoun- 
tered in  his  earlier  pastorates  in  the  East.  Occa- 
sionally there  was  a  blast  of  brimstone  from  an 
orthodox  pulpit,  but  it  did  not  greatly  excite  the 
community  nor  disturb  the  equanimity  of  Mr. 
Tuttle  and  his  people.  It  is  quite  possible  that 
the  character  and  standing  of  the  families  who  were 
identified  with  the  Universalist  church  had  much 
to  do  with  tempering  opposition.  They  were 
among  the  most  prominent  in  business  and  social 
circles  to  be  found  in  the  city.  They  were  active 
in  every  good  cause.  People  could  see  from  the 
examples  before  their  eyes  that  Universalism  did 
not  mean  social  and  moral  anarchy.  It  was  also 
recognized  by  every  one  that  a  nobler  Christian 
man  never  walked  the  streets  of  Minneapolis  than 
the  pastor  of  the  Universalist  church.  Those  who 
could  not  accept  his  doctrines  loved  the  man.  And 
he,  while  he  was  faithful  to  the  distinguishing  fea- 
tures of  his  own  denomination,  was  kindly  and 
tolerant  to  all.  His  spirit  may  be  seen  in  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  one  of  his  sermons  which 
belongs  to  this  period : 

As  it  respects  ourself,  when  we  entered  the  ministry, 
and  for  years  afterwards,  our  enthusiasm  so  far  out-ran 
our  knowledge,  that  we  most  sincerely  believed  that  the 
Universalist  denomination  was  destined,  at  no  very  distant 
date,  to  absorb  all  the  other  denominations  ;  we  fancied 
that  the  disintegrating  process  had  begun  in  nearly  every 


A    TWEXTY-FIVE   YEARS'   PASTORATE       75 

orthodox  church,  and  that  the  vast  and  mighty  structures 
built  out  of  materials  furnished  by  the  Reformation,  and 
erected  by  such  theolo<^ical  architects  as  Calvin,  Wesley, 
etc.,  were  about  to  fall  in  a  general  crash.  AVe  have 
grown  wiser  ;  and  yet  we  have  lost  none  of  our  faith  in 
Universalism.  We  neither  expect  that  Universalists  are 
soon  to  swallow  other  denominations,  nor,  that  either  or 
all  of  them,  will  soon  swallow  us.  We  cannot,  if  we  would, 
destroy  our  neighbor  churches  ;  we  would  not,  if  we  could. 
They  are  doing  a  work  which  we,  so  far,  have  not  done  so 
well  as  they ;  we  have  also  done  what  they  did  not  seem 
to  have  the  power,  or  the  will,  to  accomplish.  We  are  sat- 
isfied with  the  progress  our  distinguishing  doctrines  have 
made,  and  are  making.  Theology  is  undergoing  a  hopeful 
change ;  but  this  change  does  not  seem  to  threaten  any 
serious  loss  in  what  are  commonly  termed  orthodox  or- 
ganizations. So,  then,  the  candlesticks  will  remain  while 
the  candles  throw  out  another,  and  brighter,  and  warmer, 
and  cheerfuUer  flame.  All  the  candles  kept  continually 
burning,  and,  intermingling  their  friendly  rays,  will,  it  is 
hoped,  light  the  world,  orthodox  and  Universalist,  to 
Heaven. 


CHAPTER   V 

SUNSHINE   AND  SHADOW 

Visit  to  a  Logging-camp  —  Old  Forest  Giants  —  The  Family 
Residence  —  An  Incident  of  the  Time  —  Harriet  Merriman 
Tuttle  —  Recollections  of  Friends  —  The  Voyage  in  Hope 
—  The  Message  of  Despair  —  At  Rest  in  Rosehill  —  A  Pil- 
grimage to  Dresden. 

Those  early  years  in  Minneapolis  were  wonder- 
ful in  the  incessant  activity  of  the  pastor  and  the 
results  which  he  achieved.  From  sixty-six  to 
seventy-two  I  —  in  that  brief  period  of  half  a  dozen 
years,  how.  much  was  done  ?  It  marked  an  epoch 
in  the  history  of  the  church,  and  at  the  end  of  it 
came  a  great  crisis  in  the  life  of  the  minister.  In 
that  period,  the  church  became  firmly  established ; 
its  foundations  were  securely  laid ;  its  character 
was  determined;  its  aims  were  clearly  defined. 
The  community  learned  for  what  Universalism 
stood.  They  learned  that  it  stood  for  faith  in  an 
Infinite  Father  and  freedom  from  superstition  and 
fear;  for  the  highest  Christian  character  and  the 
broadest  sympathy  and  brotherhood ;  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  community  and  loyalty  to  the  interests 
of  the  nation  ;  for  a  life  of  righteousness  on  earth, 
and  a  corresponding  destiny  hereafter.  These 
lessons  were  so  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the 

76 


HARRIET   MERRIMAN  TUTTLE. 
(From   an    old   photograph.) 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  77 

people  of  Minneapolis,  in  that  early  day,  by  Mr. 
Tuttle  and  his  church,  that  they  have  never  been 
forgotten.  A  newspaper  item  that  goes  back  to 
those  "old  times,"  refers  to  him  in  words  like 
these :  "  Standing  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  liberal 
faiths,  his  flock  love  him ;  his  orthodox  brethren 
respect  him ;  even  scoffers  are  wont  to  say,  in 
their  own  peculiar  phrase,  that  '  he  is  better  than 
his  religion.'  Such  praise  as  this  last  would  make 
him  raise  his  hands  in  a  deprecatory  negation,  for 
he  believes  in  his  religion,  its  realities  and  ideal- 
ities, with  a  faith  like  unto  Job's  .  .  .  Mr.  Tut- 
tle's  self  in  the  pulpit  is  the  best  sermon  on  Chris- 
tianity that  he  ever  offered  to  his  congregation, 
and  his  smile  and  cordial  benediction  for  those 
who  linger  after  the  service  is,  perhaps,  a  more 
potent  benediction  than  he  ever  put  in  words." 
Such  was  his  work  and  influence  during  those 
opening  years  of  his  ministry  in  Minneapolis. 
Then  came  a  bereavement  that  shook  his  being  to 
its  very  center;  that  tested  his  faith  to  the  utter- 
most, only  to  leave  it  more  bright  and  strong. 
But  there  was  much  of  sunshine  before  the  shadow 
fell. 

VISIT   TO    A    LOGGING-CAMP 

Whenever  it  was  possible,  the  pastor  turned 
aside  from  his  busy  life  to  explore  new  regions 
where  he  might  gather  knowledge.    At  the  time  he 


78  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

came  to  Minnesota,  the  state  had  not  long  ceased 
to  be  a  territory.  Its  vast  resources  were  in  the 
infancy  of  their  development.  Men  of  energy 
and  foresight  were  coming,  under  whose  touch  the 
wilderness  was  to  blossom.  In  all  the  life  and 
activity  of  that  period,  Mr.  Tuttle  was  intensely 
interested.  He  was  a  man,  and  nothing  that  con- 
cerned men  was  alien  to  him.  The  farthest  re- 
move from  the  narrow  religionist,  he  knew  that  all 
the  material  undertakings  of  a  people  have  a 
profound  influence  upon  character.  Men  make 
their  industries  and  the  industries  remake  the 
men. 

With  one  of  his  friends,  who  was  largely  inter- 
ested in  lumbering,  Mr.  Tuttle  made  a  trip  to  the 
pine  woods  beyond  St.  Cloud,  going  in  a  two- 
horse  sled  the  entire  journey  there  and  back,  with 
the  exception  of  about  thirty-five  miles  by  rail. 
An  account  of  this  trip,  with  illustrations,  was 
published  in  Harper^ s  Magazine  for  March,  1868, 
from  which  one  or  two  characteristic  paragraphs 
are  taken : 

After  a  couple  of  hours'  ride,  we  came  to  a  fork  in  the 
road,  and  for  the  first  time  my  friend  was  in  doubt  which 
way  to  go.  He  stopped  his  horses,  and  we  held  a  council. 
We  looked  about  for  a  finger-board,  but  found  none.  One 
road,  we  knew,  led  to  Tidd's  camp  —  the  camp  we  were  in 
search  of  —  and  the  other,  to  somebody  else's  camp.  The 
full  moon  peered  out  from  a  rift  in  the  clouds  and  sprinkled 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  79 

its  beams  down  through  the  oaks,  poplars,  and  pines,  but 
not  a  ray  of  light  penetrated  our  doubts.  The  trees  seemed 
to  say,  with  provoking  indifference,  as  we  looked  up  at 
them  inquiringly,  •'  We  know  how  to  stand  here  and  gi-ow  ; 
we  know  how  and  when  to  open  our  buds  and  shed  our 
leaves,  and  which  way  to  fall  when  we  get  old  and  rotten  ; 
but  we  do  not  know  the  way  to  Tidd's  camp." 

This  article,  which  was  probably  the  first  ever 
written  on  the  subject,  contained  graphic  descrip- 
tions of  cutting  down  the  trees,  sawing  them  into 
logs,  hauling  the  logs  to  the  frozen  lake,  or  river, 
to  await  the  spring  thaws,  when  they  would  be 
floated  down  to  the  mills  of  Minneapolis  ;  also,  of 
the  life  in  the  camps,  the  meals,  the  amusements, 
the  dress,  the  conversation  of  the  loggers.  It  was 
the  first  time  that  the  outside  world  had  a  glimpse 
of  what  was  going  on  in  the  forests  of  Minnesota. 

OLD   FOREST   GIANTS 

Speaking  of  the  enormous  size  of  some  logs  at 
Moses'  landing,  Mr.  Tuttle  says : 

On  the  butt  of  one  of  the  largest,  we  counted  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  annual  rings.  Thus  the  tree  from  which  it 
was  taken  was  born  about  the  year  that  William  Shakes- 
peare died  and  Oliver  Cromwell  matriculated  at  Sussex 
College.  It  was  four  or  five  years  old  when  the  Pilgrims 
landed  at  Plymouth  Rock,  and  was  a  flourishing  youth  of 
fifty  when  John  Milton  went  quietly  to  sleep  in  his  house 
at  Bunhill  Fields.  It  had  stretched  its  green  top  up  to  a 
magnificent  height,  and  was  able  to  boast  an  experience  of 


80  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  when  the  famous  and 
infamous  Stamp  Act  was  passed  ;  and  before  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  and  Michigan  claimed  even  a  territorial  govern- 
ment. Its  two  hundredth  birthday  had  passed  before  a 
single  white  man  had  come  to  admire  its  giant  trunk ;  and 
before  its  topmost  branches,  peering  over  the  shoulders  of 
younger  pines,  could  see  beyond,  the  land  of  the  Dakotas. 
How  cruel  that  civilization,  so  long  waited  for,  should 
signal  its  approach  by  ordering  her  first  hardy  skirmishers 
to  cut  this  patriarch  of  the  forest  down,  and  to  bring  in  its 
dismembered  parts  as  a  trophy  to  the  ever-widening  circle 
of  her  conquests.  Two  centuries  and  a  half  of  patient 
growing  to  be  torn  asunder  by  irreverent  saws,  and  to 
serve  the  cupidity  of  a  race  that  turns  all  the  natural  water- 
falls into  mill-dams  and  the  forests  into  lumber-yards. 

THE   FAMILY   RESIDENCE 

The  house  in  which  Mr.  Tuttle  and  his  family 
lived  during  the  earlier  period  of  his  pastorate  in 
Minneapolis,  was  on  Chicago  avenue  —  then  far 
out  in  the  country.     This  house  is  still  standing. 

It  has  been  moved  about  and  now  faces  Colum- 
bus avenue,  just  beyond  Franklin.  It  is  distin- 
guished from  its  neighbors  by  a  small  tower.  Some 
slight  changes  have  been  made  in  it;  but  substan- 
tially it  remains  the  same  as  when  it  stood  in  the 
midst  of  a  large  and  grassy  plot  of  ground,  sur- 
rounded by  trees,  —  a  center  of  hospitality  ;  a  place 
where  the  young  and  joyous  gathered ;  an  altar 
where  marriage  vows  were  spoken ;  a  shrine  to 
which  the  weary  and  burdened  resorted  for  conso- 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  81 

lation  and  help.  Here  the  unbroken  family  passed 
some  happy  years.  The  life  in  Minneapolis  at  this 
time  was  that  of  a  village.  I<>veryl)ody  knew  every- 
body else.  All  were  friends  and  neighbors.  There 
were  no  marked  inequalities  in  wealth  or  position. 
Friends  dropped  in  informally  to  dinner  or  tea. 
There  was  little  in  the  way  of  public  amusement, 
and  the  evenings  were  spent  in  visiting  from  house 
to  house.  Such  were  the  conditions.  Naturally 
friendships  were  formed  which  hold  across  the 
years ;  influences  were  exerted  whose  results  ap- 
pear in  all  the  after  life  of  the  city  and  of  the 
church. 

AN    INCrDENT    OF    THE   TIME 

About  a  year  after  Mr.  Tuttle  began  preaching 
in  Minneapolis,  there  came  a  young  man  to  the 
town  who  was  just  starting  out  for  himself.  To 
use  his  own  expression,  his  baggage  M^as  quite 
"  condensed."  He  was  met  at  the  station  by  a 
bustling  citizen  who  directed  him  to  a  hotel,  and 
afterwards  called  upon  him  for  a  friendly  talk. 
This  citizen  was  a  devoted  admirer  of  the  Univer- 
salist  preacher  and  urged  the  young  man  to  be 
sure  to  hear  him  the  very  next  Sunday.  Without 
any  strong  religious  preferences,  the  stranger  de- 
cided to  follow  this  advice.  So  the  next  Sunday, 
leaving  the  Nicollet  house,  he  proceeded  by  a  cow- 
path  which  lay  across  open  fields,  —  now  occupied 


82  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

by  the  Guaranty  building  and  the  City  Hall,  —  to 
the  frame  church  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  avenue 
and  Fifth  street  South.  He  went  up  into  the  little 
gallery  that  faced  the  pulpit.  The  preacher  in- 
terested him  from  the  start.  "  Never,"  he  said 
long  afterwards,  "  had  I  heard  a  minister  who  so 
impressed  me.  I  felt,  '  That  is  the  man  for  me.' " 
At  the  close  of  the  service  he  went  down  and  was 
introduced.  He  became  a  regular  attendant.  A 
strong  friendship  grew  up  between  him  and  Mr. 
Tuttle.  He  was  often  at  the  pastor's  house,  and 
with  many  other  young  men  who  visited  the  open 
and  hospitable  home  on  Chicago  avenue,  he  became 
as  one  of  the  family.  He  found  in  Mr.  Tuttle, 
very  many  years  his  senior,  a  companion  and  com- 
rade rather  than  a  mentor ;  and  Mr.  Tuttle,  upon  his 
part,  believed  in  the  young  man,  saw  the  promise 
of  success  he  gave,  and  encouraged  him  to  the 
struggle.  The  friendship  ripened  into  an  affec- 
tion ;  and  thirty-two  years  after  the  young  stranger 
from  the  country  had  found  his  way  into  the  gal- 
lery of  the  church,  the  old  pastor,  broken  in  health 
and  but  a  few  paces  from  the  journey's  end,  wrote 
to  the  noted  man  of  affairs :  "  My  Dear  Mr. 
LowRY:  You  will  never  fade  from  my  mind, 
as  long  as  I  have  any  mind.  .  .  .  You  are  a  suc- 
cessful man,  not  alone  because  of  the  thousands 
you  have  amassed,  but  because  you  have  kept  in- 
tact the  amiable  spirit  your  Creator  gave  you,  and 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  83 

won  the  good  will  and  good  wishes  of  your  neigh- 
bors ;  of  all  who  ever  knew  you." 

HARRIET   MERREVLAJSr   TUTTLE 

This  is  but  one  illustration  of  the  silent  in- 
fluence that  went  out  from  the  pastor's  life  and 
home.  How  many  who  have  since  risen  to  promi- 
nence can  look  back  to  that  house  on  Chicago 
avenue  and  say,  "  There  I  found  my  incentive  to 
be  and  do  my  best !  " 

The  central  figure  in  that  home  was  the  wife 
and  mother,^  who  is  still  so  well  remembered  by 
old  friends  in  the  church.  GUmpses  have  been 
given,  now  and  then,  of  this  woman,  in  many  ways 
so  remarkable :  the  time  has  come  for  more  ex- 
tended mention.  Born  in  Connecticut,  her  par- 
ents removed  to  New  York  while  she  was  yet  a 
child,  and  settied  in  Herkimer  Count}',  in  what 
was  called  "  The  Slip."  Her  father's  farm  did  not 
lie  far  away  from  that  of  Ransom  Tuttle,  and  the 
families  associated  as  friends  and  neighbors.  She 
had  better  educational  advantages  than  many  of 
tlie  farmers'  daughters  of  the  vicinity ;  for,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  common  school,  she  took  a  course  at 
Fairfield  Academy.     Of  a  vigorous  and  independ- 

'  On  the  table  at  Loafden  — Dr.  Tuttle's  table  —  upon  which 
so  many  of  these  pages  were  written,  lay  a  little  Bible  with 
this  inscription  on  the  fly-leaf,  "  Presented  to  H.  M.  Tuttle  by 
her  affectionate  husband,  Jas.  H.  Tuttle,  Sept.  26,  1866." 


84  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

ent  mind,  on  one  occasion,  when  a  mere  girl,  she 
showed  her  freedom  from  prevailing  superstitions, 
by  passing  the  night  alone  in  a  haunted  house. 
She  rejected  the  doctrines  of  fear  and  cruelty  in 
religion  and  accepted,  with  her  intellect  as  well  as 
with  her  heart,  the  newer  and  better  thought. 
She  knew  why  she  believed,  and  could  always  '  give 
a  reason  for  the  hope  within.'  Whether  James 
Tuttle  and  Harriet  Merriman  attended  Fairfield 
Academy  at  the  same  time  or  not,  does  not  appear ; 
it  was  inevitable,  that  growing  up  in  the  same 
neighborhood,  they  should  often  meet,  and  that 
increasing  acquaintance  should  flower  into  love. 
No  two  persons  were  ever  better  adapted  to  each 
other  than  the  earnest  and  enthusiastic  young 
preacher  and  this  clear-headed,  practical  maiden 
who,  with  all  her  deep,  religious  nature,  was  yet 
always  awake  to  the  realities  of  Hfe.  She  was  de- 
voted to  the  cause  for  which  he  stood,  the  truth 
he  proclaimed,  and  ever  girded  and  inspired  him 
for  his  tasks.  Her  quick  insight  and  active  sym- 
pathy, her  tact  and  cheerfulness,  won  hosts  of 
friends  in  all  her  husband's  pastorates. 

RECOLLECTIONS    OF    FRIENDS 

In  Minneapolis,  there  remain  those  who  came 
under  her  gentle,  yet  positive  influence,  and  who 
sacredly  cherish  her  memory.  "She  stands  out 
in  my  mind,"  says  one,  "  as  an  ideal  woman,  com- 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  85 

bining  all  the  virtues ;  a  devoted  wife  and  motlier ; 
a  beautiful  housekeeper ;  making  the  home  unusu- 
ally attractive  to  tlie  family  and  friends.  She  was 
the  soul  of  hospitality."  When  tlie  great  fire  in 
Chicago  occurred,  Mr.  Tuttle  started  to  the 
doomed  city  to  see  whether  any  of  the  old  friends 
might  be  needing  help.  After  his  departure,  Mrs. 
Tuttle  countermanded  an  order  for  painting  the 
house,  thinking  that  some  of  their  Chicago  parish- 
ioners might  require  the  $300  that  had  been  saved 
for  the  purpose.  "  She  was  also,"  says  the  one 
who  has  borne  testimony  above,  "  vitally  inter- 
ested in  the  church,  and  in  close  touch  with  her 
husband's  work  in  every  way.  She  was  chari- 
table, unselfish,  always  cheerful."  Another  says, 
"  She  seemed  to  know  intuitively  where  her  pres- 
ence was  needed,  and  was  there  before  she  could  be 
sent  for."  "  I  remember,"  says  still  another,  "  at 
a  time  when  we  were  having  much  trouble  and 
misfortune  to  bear,  and  the  world  seemed  very- 
dark,  I  would  go  out  to  see  Mrs.  Tuttle,  and  I  al- 
ways returned  with  new  hope  and  courage." 
"  She  was  everything  as  a  woman  that  her  hus- 
band was  as  a  mna,  —  as  great  in  her  way  as  he  in 
his,"  —  remarked  one  who  knew  them  both  from 
the  very  first.  The  words  of  King  Lemuel,  in  the 
book  of  Proverbs,^  seem  singularly  appropriate  in 
summing  up  her  character: 

'  Proverbs,  xxxi. 


86  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

Strength  and  dignity  are  her  clothing. 

*  *  *i  Up  if 

She  openeth  her  mouth  with  wisdom ; 

And  the  law  of  kindness  is  on  her  tongue. 

She  looketh  well  to  the  ways  of  her  household, 

And  eateth  not  the  bread  of  idleness. 

Her  children  rise  up  and  call  her  blessed  ; 

Her  husband  also,  and  he  praiseth  her,  saying, 

'  Many  daughters  have  done  virtuously. 

But  thou  excellest  them  all.' 

Favor  is  deceitful,  and  beauty  is  vain  : 

But  a   woman   that  feareth   the  Lord,  she  shall  be 

praised. 
Give  her  of  the  fruit  of  her  hands. 
And  let  her  works  praise  her  in  the  gates. 

THE   VOYAGE   IN    HOPE 

She  who  gave  so  unstintingly  of  her  time  and 
her  life  to  others,  at  last  began  to  find  the  foun- 
tains of  energy  failing.  It  was  no  wonder.  For 
years  the  strain  had  been  great.  The  trjdng  days 
in  Chicago,  the  busy  days  in  Minneapolis,  were 
writing  their  story  in  her  broken  health.  It  was 
finally  resolved  that  she  should  accompany  her 
son  George,  in  the  Autumn  of  1872,  to  Dresden, 
where  he  was  going  to  pursue  the  study  of  the 
modern  languages.  It  was  hoped  that  the  sea- 
voyage  and  the  change  of  climate  would  bring 
back  her  waning  strength.  Mr.  Tuttle  expected 
to  join  them  the  following  Spring,  and  make  a 
tour   of    the    Continent.     So   the    farewells  were 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  87 

cheerily  spoken,  and  mother  and  son  were  soon 
upon  the  deep.  For  a  time  the  messages  that 
came  back  across  the  sea  were  full  of  hope.  They 
carried  assurance  to  anxious  hearts.  They  in- 
spired the  pastor  in  the  midst  of  his  labors,  and 
comforted  the  people  who  loved  both  him  and  her. 
Writes  the  elder  son,  James :  "  It  seems  as  if  it  was 
only  a  few  days  ago  that  father  and  I  opened  that 
first  letter  headed,  '  Dresden.'  What  a  long  way 
off  it  seemed,  and  how  precious  were  the  messages 
after  their  three  weeks'  journey.  And  then  the  day 
comes  up  when  Mr.  Westfall  called  me  into  the 
bank  as  I  was  on  my  way  to  dinner,  and  showed 
me  —  the  telegram  I     You  know  all  the  rest." 

THE   REESSAGE   OP   DESPAIR 

And  every  one  soon  knew  "  all  the  rest."  The 
change  for  the  better  was  only  in  appearance. 
The  activities  of  mind  and  heart  had  proved  too 
much  for  the  frail  body;  her  vitality  had  been 
too  seriously  undermined  for  any  change  of  scene 
or  climate  to  restore.  On  the  6th  of  January, 
1873,  word  came  that  she  was  dangerously  ill. 
Mr.  Tuttle  at  once  left  for  New  York,  intending 
to  cross  the  ocean,  if  there  were  any  prospect  that 
he  might  reach  the  other  side  in  time.  On  his 
way,  he  received  another  telegram  which  read, 
"  No  hope."  A  few  days  later  came  tidings  of 
the  end.     Mrs.  Tuttle  died  in  Dresden,  January 


88  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

11,  1873,  at  the  age  of  forty -eight.  A  simple 
service  was  held,  conducted  by  a  Philadelphia 
clergyman.  Then  began  the  journey  homeward. 
The  body  was  accompanied  only  by  the  younger 
son,  who  had  been  his  mcjther's  companion  on  the 
outward  voyage  and  in  the  German  city.  The 
sea  was  rough  and  stormy,  but  there  was 

*'  .   .   .  dead  calm  in  that  noble  breast, 
Which  heaved  but  with  the  heaving  deep." 

And,  all  the  while,  the  husband  and  father,  and 
James,  the  elder  son,  were  waiting  for  the  arrival 
of  the  steamer.  While  thus  waiting  in  New 
York,  Mr.  Tuttle  wrote  a  friend :  ' 

I  hope  I  have  not  murmured  nor  been  impatient.  I 
have  not  consciously  rebelled  against  my  Heavenly  Father's 
will.  He  knows  what  is  best.  ...  I  prayed  that  the 
cup  might  pass  ;  oh,  how  earnestly  I  jjrayed  for  this  ;  but 
God  said,  "You  must  drink  it."  It  is,  indeed,  bitter.  At 
first  the  burden  of  woe  almost  crushed  me.  How  weak  I 
was !  And  yet,  my  agony,  much  of  it,  came  from  my 
selfishness.  I  did  not  doubt  that  death  had  bettered  the 
condition  of  that  dear  one.  It  was  not  any  more  faith  in  a 
future  life  or  in  immortality  that  I  needed ;  no  clouds 
covered  the  eternal  world.  My  confidence  in  a  happy 
hereafter  was  never  more  strong  and  clear.  But  I  shrank 
from  the  fact,  lifted  so  suddenly  to  my  contemplation,  that 
I  could  never  again  meet  the  loved  one  in  this  world :  that 
my  happy  home  was  broken.  This  was  what  I  found  so 
hard  to  endure.     I  get  more  strength,  however,  day  by 

*  Mrs.  Hannah  M.  Taylor. 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  89 

day.   .   .   .  Word  lias  just  come  that  the  steamer  we  have 
waited  for  so  long  and  so  anxiously  has  arrived. 

AT   REST    IN    EOSEHILL 

The  burial  took  place  from  the  residence  of  A. 
G.  Throop,  in  Chicago.  The  house  was  filled  to 
its  utmost  capacity  by  the  devoted  friends  who  had 
known  and  loved  her,  during  the  pastorate  of  Mr. 
Tuttle  at  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer.  The 
services  were  conducted  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Ryder,  who 
made  the  address;  Rev.  H.  F.  Campbell  reading 
the  Scriptures ;  and  Rev.  Dr.  Forrester  offering 
prayer.  The  interment  was  made  in  Rosehill 
Cemetery,  in  a  lot  selected  during  her  residence  in 
Chicago.  The  following  Sunday  (February  17, 
1873)  memorial  services  were  held  in  Minneapo- 
lis. The  church  was  appropriately  decorated  with 
flowers  for  the  occasion.  The  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  J.  S.  Dennis,  of  Chicago.  "  It  was  so 
perfect  of  its  kind,"  said  the  Tribune,  next  morn- 
ing, "  that  it  will  not  bear  epitomizing."  But  the 
reporter  records  that  the  audience  were  "  deeply 
touched,"  when  the  speaker  alluded  to  the  "  be- 
reaved husband  waiting  by  the  sea  for  the  arrival 
of  the  dear  one  who  is  now  waiting  by  the  shore 
of  the  sea  of  life  for  him." 

THE    PILGRIMAGE   TO   DUESDEN 

One  year  later  Mr.  Tuttle,  and  his  son  James, 
visited  the  Continent.     Some  days  were  spent  in 


90  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

Dresden.  The  monuments  and  galleries  were  not 
the  only  objects  of  interest.  There  was  a  little 
house  on  Christian  Strasse  that  held  for  them  the 
holiest  associations.  After  spending  an  hour  there 
James  wrote  to  a  friend :  "  What  would  I  not  give 
if,  after  all  this  wandering,  we  could  turn  our 
faces  towards  that  old  fireside,  and  find  it  as  it 
was !  In  spite  of  all  the  dear,  kind  friends  we 
have,  it  seems  as  if  the  heart  and  soul  of  that 
word  '  home  '  had  fled."  Mr.  Tuttle  wrote  to  the 
Star  and  Covenant : 

Near  the  center  of  the  South  side  of  the  city,  the  older 
side  is  Christian  Strasse.  Externally  this  street  does  not 
differ  much  from  others  in  that  vicinity ;  why,  then, 
should  we  refer  to  it  at  all  ?  It  is  a  sad  story,  and  should 
be  a  private  one,  no  doubt,  but  your  readers  are  our 
friends,  and  will  read  what  is  written  here  with  patience, 
if  not  with  sympathy.  All  places  in  this  world  are  very 
much  alike,  except  as  they  are  imprinted  with  our  ex- 
periences or  recall  some  incident  to  our  mind.  The  spot 
where  we  loved,  or  were  loved,  becomes  a  sacred  shrine 
to  us  ;  so,  too,  if  it  has  wrung  a  sorrow  from  our  heart,  it 
holds  us  ever  afterwards  with  a  grip  that  hurts.  The 
outside  world  sees  nothing  in  Mecca,  but  the  Moslem  sees 
all  things  there,  and  bows  towards  it  when  he  prays. 
When  Jacob  met  God  and  the  angels,  all  was  vacancy  to 
other  eyes.  What  do  we  see  in  Christian  Strasse 9  .  .  . 
The  house  in  which  she  who,  of  all  on  earth,  was  nearest 
to  me,  died.  .  .  .  Several  wide  stone  steps  led  us  up  to 
the  door,  where  we  entered  a  large  hall  with  a  stone  floor ; 
and  our  feet,  as  we  walked  on  this  floor,  awakened  echoes 


i 


SUNSHINE  AND  SHADOW  91 

such  as  one  hears  in  a  vault  or  tomb ;  indeed,  the  place 
was  to  us  a  tomb.  Stone  stairs  conducted  us  to  the  second 
etagc,  then  to  the  third,  where  the  servant  ushered  us 
into  one  of  three  large  rooms  opening  into  each  other. 

Frau  R ,  the  lady  of  the  house,  soon  entered,  to  whom 

we  gave  our  names.  The  good  woman  understood  it  all 
instantly.  Tears  filled  her  eyes,  as  she  exclaimed  in 
broken,  yet  tender,  sympathetic  English,  "Here  is  where 

Frau  T ,  and  your  son,  and  their  friend.  Miss  M , 

lived.  These  are  the  rooms  —  the  chairs,  sofa,  table, 
pictures,  and  flowers,  are  the  same."     In  a  few  minutes 

Frau  R led  us  into  the  north  room,  and,  pointing  to  a 

single  bed,  with  a  pure  white  spread  on  it,  said,  ' '  There  is 
where  she  died."  She  then  turned  back,  and  shutting  the 
door,  left  us  alone.  .  .  .  Alone? 

"  IVIillions  of  spirits  walk  the  earth  unseen." 

Blessed  truth,  if  it  be  a  truth.  But  how  strange  that  so 
few,  if  any,  of  these  "  millions"  are  able  to  let  us  know  of 
their  presence.  Here  she  died  !  And  at  that  moment  we 
were  more  than  four  thousand  miles  away  !  Now  we  have 
come;  and  the  form,  the  frail,  weary  form  that  was  here, 
lies  in  its  grave-bed  in  Rosehill.  .  .  .  How  many  letters 
we  sent  off  from  America  to  be  delivered  at  No.  6  Chris- 
tian Strasse,  Dresden;  and  how  many  came  back  from 
this  place  over  the  same  long  journey !  Months  of  sadness 
passed  by  —  months  of  discontent. 

' '  Over  all  things  brooding  swept 
The  quiet  sense  of  something  lost." 

Death  had  dissolved  the  hope  we  cherished  of  following 
those  who  had  preceded  us  to  Europe,  of  travelling  over 
the  old  country  with  them ;  only  the  poor  solace  was  left 


92  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

us  of  going  on  a  year  later  to  see  the  house  they  lived  in 
less  than  three  short  months,  the  spot  where  she  died! 
This  we  have  done,  and  now  our  pilgrimage  is  ended.  We 
have  found  Christian  Strasse,  we  have  been  in  the  third 
story  of  the  house.  No.  6,  avb  have  seen  those  rooms!  We 
may  never  climb  those  stone  stairs  again,  but  must  hence- 
forth mount 

'»  The  world's  great  altar-stairs. 
That  slope  through  darkness  up  to  God." 


CHAPTER    VI 

A  YEAR  OF  TRAVEL 

Leave  of  Absence  —  Pulpit  Supplies  —  Off  for  Europe  —  On  the 
Atlantic  —  From  London  to  the  Rhine  —  The  Rhine  and  the 
Mississippi  —  Berlin  and  Dresden  —  Munich;  Kaulbach, 
Dolliuger  —  Rome  :  Preaching  in  the  Eternal  City  —  William 
and  Mary  Howitt  —  Florence  :  Theodore  Parker — The  Holy 
Land  —  On  the  Mount  of  Olives  —  The  Return  :  Switzerland, 
France,  British  Lsles  —  The  American  Minister  to  France  — 
Home  Again  —  Sunday  Services  —  Home  Ties  —  The  Great 
Lessons  —  Waiting  for  His  Coming. 

The  work  upon  the  new  church  building  had 
fairly  begun.  A  competent  committee  consisting 
of  W.  W.  Eastman,  O.  A.  Pray,  A.  B.  Barton,  and 
Rufus  Stevens,  had  the  enterprise  in  charge.  The 
pastor  was  relieved  of  all  care  in  this  connection ; 
but  the  strain  to  which  the  events  recorded  in  the 
preceding  chapter  had  subjected  him,  demanded 
a  period  of  rest.  He  wished  to  spend  some  time 
in  foreign  travel  and  in  study.  His  elaborate 
reading  had  prepared  him  for  such  a  journey.  He 
could  look  with  understanding  eyes  upon  the  new 
scenes.  He  wanted  to  gather  treasures  in  other 
fields  to  bring  back  to  his  people.  The  best  time 
to  go  seemed  to  be  while  the  new  house  was  build- 
ing. The  records  of  the  society  contain  the  fol- 
lowing entry : 

93 


94  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

A  meeting  called  at  the  close  of  the  service  in  the 
church,  September  4,  1873,  R.  Stevens,  chairman.  A 
letter  from  the  pastor,  Rev.  J.  H.  Tuttle,  was  read,  asking 
for  leave  of  absence,  for  one  year,  for  the  purpose  of  travel 
in  Europe  and  other  eastern  countries.  It  Avas  unanimously 
voted  by  the  society  that  the  pastor  have  leave  of  absence 
for  one  year,  and  for  as  much  longer  as  he  may  desire ; 
and  that  the  trustees  be  authorized,  if  the  funds  of  the 
society  permit,  to  continue  the  pastor's  salary  during  his 
absence. 

PULPIT   SUPPLIES 

Arrangements  were  made  to  fill  the  pulpit.  The 
first  half  of  the  year,  the  supply  was  Rev.  Moses 
Goodrich,  of  Anoka,  "  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
State,  a  noble-spirited,  self-sacrificing  man,  with 
many  friends  and  no  enemies."  The  rest  of  the 
year  Rev.  Moses  Marston  preached.  He  was  pro- 
fessor of  Greek  and  Latin  in  St.  Lawrence  Uni- 
versity, Canton,  New  York.  While  upon  this  visit 
to  Minneapolis,  he  was  offered,  and  accepted  the 
chair  of  English  in  the  University  of  Minnesota. 
This  chair  he  held  until  his  death,  in  1883.  The 
friendship  between  himself  and  Mr.  Tuttle  was 
deep  and  lasting,  and  the  latter  has  left,  in  his 
book,  his  testimony  to  the  "  gentle,  scholarly  man- 
ner and  rare  amiability  of  character  "  of  his  friend. 
The  memory  of  Professor  Marston  is  still  cherished 
in  the  church,  and  at  the  University,  a  scholarship 
named  for  him,  has  been  established,  the  interest 


A    YEAR  OF   TRAVEL  96 

of  which  is  given  annually  as  a  prize  in  the  depart- 
ment of  English. 

OFF    FOR   EUROPE 

Leaving  the  congregation  in  the  care  of  such 
able  and  satisfactory  supplies  as  Mr.  Goodrich  and 
Professor  Marston,  the  pastor,  accompanied  by  his 
son,  James,  set  out  upon  his  travels.  One  can 
imagine  with  what  fond  anticipations,  he  turned  his 
face  towards  Europe  and  the  East.  The  dreams  of 
a  life-time  are  about  to  be  realized.  It  is  not  as  an 
idle  curiosity-seeker  that  he  desires  to  visit  the 
great  theaters  of  history,  but  that  he  may  add  to 
his  power  in  the  pulpit  and  among  men.  He  al- 
ways believed  that  the  ministry  was  the  highest 
calling  upon  earth,  and  that  no  pains  should  be 
spared  by  him  who  entered  it  to  qualify  himself  to 
the  utmost.  His  was  no  narrow  interpretation  of 
his  office.  He  did  not  consider  himself  set  to 
repeat  the  words  of  a  prescribed  creed.  He  be- 
lieved in  God  and  in  the  final  triumph  of  right- 
eousness ;  but  he  believed  also  tliat  God  had  writ- 
ten himself  out  in  nature,  and  art,  and  history,  as 
well  as  in  the  Bible ;  and  he  claimed  the  right  to 
find  God,  wherever  there  was  a  sign  of  his  pres- 
ence. So  the  journey  was  to  be,  not  only  one  of 
relaxation,  but  one  of  serious  purpose. 


96  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


ON    THE   ATLANTIC 

Atlantic  Ocean !  Well  do  I  remember  how,  when  a 
boy,  these  words  sounded,  and  how  the  thing  they  repre- 
sented, looked  on  the  map.  The  geography  said  this  ocean 
is  ♦ '  three  thousand  miles  wide."  What  an  immense  distance 
that  seemed!  The  geography  said,  further,  that  "  two- 
thirds  of  the  earth's  surface  is  covered  with  water,"  —  a 
statement  we  wondered  at  greatly.  It  seemed  a  vast  amount 
of  water  for  so  little  land.  The  largest  body  of  water  I 
had  seen  at  that  time  was  my  imcle's  mill-pond,  and  hence, 
it  was  difficult  to  believe  that  the  earth  was  nearly  all  a 
pond.  1  am  better  prepared  now  to  credit  the  story,  since 
I  have  actually  crossed  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  distance 
our  shi}}  traveled  was  a  little  more  than  three  thousand 
miles.  I  was  convinced,  before  reaching  Liverpool,  that 
the  geography  did  not  stretch  the  truth.  That  the  land  has, 
indeed,  a  small  chance  on  this  globe.  The  vast  continent 
of  soil  we  had  left  behind,  seemed,  as  we  looked  out  day 
after  day,  upon  the  illimitable  expanse  of  sea,  to  shrink  to 
a  comparatively  meager  point.  Until  this  voyage,  I  had 
never  had  but  one  good  smell  of  salt  water ;  and  a  mom- 
Inge's  ride  from  Gloucester  to  Boston,  in  a  sort  of  ferry 
boat,  was  all  the  real  ocean  sailing  I  had  had. 

FROM   LONDON   TO   THE   RHINE 

The  voyage  ended,  he  found  himself  in  England, 
"  the  land  we  had  dreamed  about  all  our  life,  but 
had  never  looked  on  before.  Hastening  from  Liv- 
erpool to  London,  he  took  quarters  at  the  Queen's 
Hotel,  but  his  stay  at  this  time  was  brief.  While 
he  visited  the  churches  and  other  places  of  interest, 


A    YEAR  OF  TRAVEL  97 

one  or  two  sentences  tell  us  what  was  uppermost 
in  his  mind :  "  How  often  we  thought  of  Dickens 
in  our  wanderings  about  tlie  city  I  Great  man ! 
here  is  where  you  picked  up  the  matter  for  your 
marvelous  books.  Here,  in  these  streets  and  lanes, 
you  saw  the  poor,  wretched  creatures,  whose  stories 
you  told,  and  over  which  the  whole  world  wept." 
Leaving  London,  for  the  present,  he  pushed  on  to 
Brussels,  through  Holland,  stopping  at  Amsterdam, 
Rotterdam,  the  Hague,  and  Antwerp.  In  these 
cities,  the  art  galleries  interested  him  more  than 
anything  else.  "  What  homage,  after  all,  even  this 
worldly  world  pays  to  art  1 "  From  Cologne,  he 
went  down  the  Rhine  to  Frankfurt-on-the-Main, 
where,  among  other  historic  places,  he  visited  the 
house  where  Goethe  was  born,  and  stood  before 
the  statues  of  Schiller  and  Gutenberg.  The  stone 
^^gy  of  Luther,  on  one  corner,  called  attention  to 
the  fact,  that,  from  this  spot,  he  had  addressed  the 
people  on  his  way  to  Worms.  On  to  Mayence 
and  to  Bingen,  below  which  is  the  Mouse-Tower 
of  cruel  Bishop  Hatto. 

THE   RHINE   AND   THE   MISSISSIPPI 

In  all  his  journeyings,  Mr.  Tuttle  never  forgot 
Minnesota,  and  was  constantly  comparing  the  new 
and  strange  scenery  with  that  left  behind.  "  We 
can  conceive  it  jx)ssible  and  probable,"  he  says, 
"  that  the  German  who  has  always  lived  on  the 


98  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

Rhine  and  become  used  to  its  sights,  might  expe- 
rience a  superior  pleasure  in  the  Upper  Mississippi, 
especially  if  pains  were  taken  to  fill  his  mind  the 
while,  full  of  stories,  about  Indian  warriors  and 
maidens  who  once  made  these  bluffs  their  home ; 
stories,  for  instance,  like  that  of  Maiden  Rock^ 


BERLIN   AND  DRESDEN 

When  he  came  to  the  great  and  splendid  Ger- 
man capitol,  he  went  out  to  Potsdam  and  found 
an  old  wind-mill,  which  interested  him  more  than 
many  a  magnificent  monument.  The  story  is 
familiar.  The  wind-mill  stood  near  the  Royal 
Palace.  Far  in  the  past  it  belonged  to  a  poor  man. 
Frederick  the  Great  wanted  the  ground  to  enlarge 
his  garden  and  began  to  take  the  mill  down.  The 
poor  man  appealed  to  the  courts.  "  Justice,  who 
stood  up  between  the  two,  with  her  impartial  eyes 
covered,  tipped  her  scales  the  right  way,  and  the 
mill  was  allowed  to  stand,  where,  tho'  silent  and 
motionless  these  many  years,  it  has  ground  out  a 
continual  grist  for  truth."  In  Berlin,  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  "  sharp,  determined  face  of  Moltke," 
as  the  general  was  "  walking  across  the  public 
square,  with  a  plain  soldier  cap  on  his  head,  and  a 
long  blue  soldier  cloak  dangling  about  his  rather 
slim  form." 

In  Wittenburg,  Luther  and  Melanchton  became 


A    YEAR  OF   TRAVEL  99 

less  like  myths,  when  he  walked  among  the  scenes 
where  they  had  lived,  entered  the  church  where 
Luther  preached  his  impetuous  sermons,  and  saw 
the  hour-glass  by  which  he  timed  them.  "  In 
front  of  the  church,  making  an  island  in  the 
middle  of  the  street,  is  a  mill,  which  dates  back  to 
Luther's  time ;  a  miller  in  white  coat  and  hat 
stood  in  the  door,  and  may  have  been  a  descendant 
of  the  one  who  ground  Luther's  grist."  Mention 
has  been  made  in  the  preceding  chapter  of  Mr. 
Tuttle's  visit  to  Dresden,  and  of  the  sad  associa- 
tions that  city  contained  for  him.  "  Thou  didst, 
indeed,  hold  out  to  us  in  thy  right  hand,  the  mar- 
velous symbols  of  art ;  but  in  thy  left  hand,  we 
saw  a  skeleton,  which  meant  death." 

MUNICH  :    KAULBACH,  DOLUNGEB 

Prague,  Vienna,  Munich,  were  visited  in  turn. 
In  the  last  of  these  cities,  Mr.  Tuttle  met  Kaul- 
bach,  the  artist,  and  Dr.  DoUinger,  the  reformer. 
It  is  worth  while  to  give  his  account  of  these 
occasions : 

We  must  mention  Kaulbach,  who  lives  in  Munich,  and 
has  a  studio  here,  which  we  visited.  Mr.  Johnson  intro- 
duced us  to  this  celebrated  artist,  saying  to  him  that  we 
were  Americans,  and  come  to  see  him.  He  seemed  at 
once  to  have  an  indulgent  comprehension  of  our  situation, 
and  helping  us  out  with  his  frankness,  he  replied  :  "  Well, 
here  I  am ;  look  at  me,"  and  then  turned  and  began  work- 


100  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

ing  on  a  crayon  picture  which  hung  on  the  easel,  and 
which  seemed  to  be  nearly  finished.  In  a  moment  he 
stopped  and  explained  the  picture  to  us.  It  was  a  sort  of 
national  representation  designed  to  set  forth,  in  a  most 
flattering  manner,  the  present  popular  position  of  the  Ger- 
man i)owers.  Germany,  the  central  figure,  was  portrayed 
in  the  form  of  St.  Michael,  lifting  his  sword  of  authority, 
and  with  his  feet  on  the  crouching  form  of  France,  while 
the  Pope  and  his  Cardinals  are  shrinking  away  from  him 
in  slavish  fear.  The  drawing  was  splendidly  executed, 
and  it  will  awaken  new  admiration  among  Germans  for 
their  favorite  artist.  Kaulbach  is  a  medium-sized  man, 
stoutly  built,  slightly  inclined  to  portliness  ;  a  fresh,  some- 
what ruddy  face  entirely  shaved,  except  a  mustache.  His 
"  atelier"  was  strewn  thick  with  clay  models,  old  pictures, 
and  various  kinds  of  rubbish,  all  more  indicative  of  work, 
than  of  particular  care  for  neatness.  We  also  visited, 
afterwards,  Kaulbach's  gallery,  where  we  saw  his  original 
crayon  drawings  of  Goethe's  characters,  copies  of  which 
are  now  so  common  at  home.  We  shall,  hereafter,  take  a 
fresh  interest  in  them. 

The  description  of  Dr.  Dollinger  follows : 

By  invitation  from  Mr.  Johnson,  we  went  to  the  Uni- 
versity and  heard  the  renowned  Dr.  Dollinger  lecture  on 
the  French  Revolution.  Here,  as  well  as  at  several  other 
times,  since  we  have  been  in  Germany,  we  felt  like  saying, 
"  My  Kingdom  "  not  "  for  a  horse,"  but  "for  a  language." 
Not  understanding  German,  we  caught  only  a  few  words 
and  disconnected  sentences  of  the  lecture,  but  we  were 
glad  to  see  this  ripe  scholar  and  theologian,  who  has 
dared  to  suggest  important  reforms  in  the  Catholic  church, 
and  at  least  to  say,"  no,"  to  the  Pope's  doctrine  of  infallibil- 
ity.    He  is  a  mild,  pleasant-looking  man,  with  blue  eyes, 


A    Y^EAR  OF   TRAVEL  101 

rather  thin  face,  and  a  cleiin-cut  mouth.  His  manner  is 
quite  scholarly,  he  does  not  seem,  altogether,  to  be  fitted 
for  a  modern  Luther ;  indeed,  it  is  evident  from  a  brief 
conversation  we  had  with  him,  that  he  does  not  propose  to 
lead  the  somewhat  formidal)le  opposition  party,  which  is 
threatening  the  peace  of  the  Catholic  church  in  Europe, 
lie  spoke  of  himself  as  a  "  looker  on."  In  answer  to  ques- 
tions we  made  to  him,  he  said  tliat  while  he  agreed  with 
Luther  in  the  conviction  that  the  church  needed  reform, 
he  had  no  "  particular  sympathy  with  Luther's  dogmas," 
etc.,  also  furtlier  plainly  intimated  that  he  was  not  pre- 
pared to  go  with  Hyacinthe  in  his  innovations  in  respect  to 
the  Catholic  theory  of  celibacy.  So  we  judge  that  the 
doctor  is  still  thoroughly  catholic  in  everything,  except 
the  question  of  infallibilit}',  and  in  the  assumptions  of  the 
Pope  regarding  his  civil  authority.  The  room  in  which 
the  lecture  was  given,  was  small,  the  seats  were  exceed- 
ingly plain,  and  there  were  twenty  listeners  in  all. 

eome:  preaching  in  the  eternal  city 

We  next  find  him  in  Italy,  where  he  made  the 
tour  of  the  principal  cities.  "  Rome  I  Few 
words  have  had  the  power  to  work  such  a  charm 
in  our  imagination,  or  to  transcribe  for  us  from  the 
pages  of  history  a  series  of  such  delightful  pictures 
as  this.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  other  spot  from 
which  we  could  date  a  letter  with  a  profounder 
weight  of  impressions  resting  on  our  mind  or  with- 
in sight  of  the  fulfilment  of  so  many  dreams."  A 
pleasant  experience  was  awaiting  him  in  the  Eter- 
nal City.     On  Sunday,  December  21,  at  the  re- 


102  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

quest  of  the  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Wait,  he  preached 
in  the  Congregational  chapel  on  the  Via  Condottii, 
near  the  heart  of  the  city.  The  large  audience 
was  composed  mainly  of  English  and  Americans. 
"  This,  to  us,"  he  says,  "  was  an  experience  as  in- 
teresting as  it  was  unexpected.  We  can  hardly 
tell  which  excited  our  gratitude  more,  the  privi- 
lege itself  of  preaching  in  this  strange  old  city,  or 
the  kind  liberality  through  which  it  came.  How 
often  we  thought,  during  the  service,  of  a  certain 
congregation  in  Minneapolis !  " 

WILLIAM    AND   MARY   HOWITT 

We  remained  in  Rome  one  day  longer  than  we  in- 
tended, to  accept  an  invitation  received  from  them  through 
a  mutual  acquaintance,  to  a  four  o'clock  cup  of  tea,  with 
William  and  Mary  Howitt.  This  remarkable  pair  of 
English  authors  is  almost  as  well  known,  and  as  well 
loved,  in  America  as  in  Europe,  and  we  confess  to  having 
had  a  strong  desire  to  see  them.  Somehow  the  two  have 
always  seemed  to  us  very  much  like  one,  for  both  names 
generally  appear  in  connection.  We  seldom  see  William's 
name  without  Mary's,  and  their  literary  experiences  seem 
as  closely  wedded  as  their  lives.  We  have  wondered  if 
their  thoughts  are  not  identical,  if  their  books  were  not 
joint  productions  like  Beaumont's  and  Fletcher's.  Per- 
haps there  is  not  another  instance  where  husband  and 
wife  have  kept  such  equal,  continued,  and  harmonious 
pace  in  literature,  and  such  equal  hold  of  the  world's 
admiration ;  certainly  no  couple  have  borne  their  fame 
more  simply  and  lovingly.     William  is  over  eighty,  and 


A    YEAR  OF   TRAVEL  103 

Mary  can  not  be  far  behind ;  although  neither  appears  be- 
yond sixty.  We  found  tliem  in  the  topmost  apartment  of 
a  tive-story  house,  after  we  had  climbed  a  llij^ht  of 
steep,  damp  stone  stairs,  which  turned  so  frequently  that 
they  made  us  feel  very  much  twisted.  How  the  white- 
haired  octo<renarians  manage  to  mount  those  stairs  sev- 
eral times  a  day,  is  a  mystery ;  but  climbing  is  a 
life-business,  and  they  are  now  nearer  heaven  in  more  tlian 
one  sense.  The  highest  rooms  in  Rome  are  considered 
tlie  healthiest,  and  a  glance  at  William's  and  Mary's  faces 
show  that  tliey  jiave  taken  good  care  of  their  bodies  as 
well  as  their  souls,  and  that  they  have  never  been  afraid 
of  air,  light,  and  exercise.  Evidently  they  understand 
tlie  art  of  growing  old  gracefully.  There  is  nothing  in 
tlifiir  looks  or  acts  to  remind  one  of  wasted  energies. 
'J'heir  talk  was  as  fresh  and  sunny  and  hopeful  as  though 
they  were  yet  on  the  threshold  of  youth.  Whether  their 
conversation  turned  on  this  life  or  the  next,  they  ran  clear 
of  all  bitter  reflections  and  sad  doubts.  They  showed  no 
hesitation  in  avowing  their  belief  in  Spiritualism;  but 
theirs  is  a  spiritual  and  not  a  material  spiritualism.  We 
could  not  have  felt  more  entirely  at  home  in  the  presence 
of  our  own  grandparents.  Tiny  cups  of  tea  were  brought 
us  by  their  daughter,  who  is  spending  the  winter  with  them  ; 
a  bright,  pleasant  lady,  and,  we  judge,  a  correspondent  of 
some  English  newspaper.  The  aged  couple  are  sjiending 
their  fourth  winter  in  Rome ;  they  seem  to  love  both  the 
society  and  the  climate  they  find  here.  Mr.  Summers,  a 
noted  sculptor  in  Rome,  is  making  busts  of  thexu  ;  we  saw 
the  white  clay  models  in  tlie  studio  of  the  artist,  sitting 
side  by  side,  on  a  shelf,  looking  as  pure,  and  simple,  and 
loving,  as  the  originals. 


104  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


FLORENCE :    THEODORE    PARKER 

In  Florence,  the  Protestant  cemetery  contains 
three  graves  that  aroused  emotions  as  deep  as  any 
monuments  of  the  wonderful  history  of  Florence,  or 
any  of  the  great  names  so  conspicuous  in  its  pages. 
They  were  the  graves  of  Hiram  Powers,  Mrs. 
Browning,  and  Theodore  Parker.  Mr.  Tuttle's 
comments  upon  Theodore  Parker,  from  whose  theo- 
logical views  he  strongly  dissented,  are  character- 
istic of  his  broad  charity  and  power  of  appreciation  : 

Only  a  simple  slab  marks  Mr.  Parker's  resting-place, 
on  which  we  are  told  that  he  was  born  in  Lexington, 
Mass.,  August  24,  1810,  and  died  May  10,  1860.  Within 
the  low,  stone  border  of  the  grave,  some  remembering 
hand  has  planted  myrtles  and  roses,  and  the  whole  spot 
seems  as  simple  and  unostentatious  as  was  the  form  that 
sleeps  beneath.  We  would  gladly  have  left  some  sweet 
flower  there,  if  we  had  thought  to  bring  one,  not  only  for 
our  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake  of  his  kindred,  for  the 
thousands  of  people  in  America  who  knew  and  loved  Mr. 
Parker.  Although  we  could  never  subscribe  to  some  of 
his  opinions,  and  seriously  regretted  the  results  of  his 
attacks  on  Christianity,  we  could  not  withold  our  venera- 
tion for  his  great  learning,  especially  for  his  magnificent 
efforts  in  behalf  of  human  freedom  ;  it  was,  therefore,  in 
no  cold  critical  attitude  that  we  approached  his  grave  and 
stood  with  our  mind  open  to  the  stream  of  recollections 
that  came  pouring  upon  it  concerning  his  eventful  career 
in  New  England.  We  doubt  not  that  the  great  Father, 
with  whom  deeds  are  more  than  creeds,  whose  test  of  dis- 


A    YEAR  OF   TRAVEL  106 

cipleship  is  goodness  instead  of  dogmas,  will  finil  a  way 
of  elevating  'Mr.  Parker  above  thousands  who  scarcely  err 
in  belief,  but  are  inlidel  in  practice.  To  be  a  friend  to  the 
poor  and  downtrodden  must  atone  for  much  wrong-head- 
edness  in  theology,  and  so  we  turned  away  from  the  tomb 
of  the  New  England  iconoclast  with  these  words  in  our 
mind: 

"  In  Faith,  and  Hope,  the  Avorld  will  disagree, 
But  all  mankind's  concern  is  Charity." 

This  passage  from  a  published  letter  was  read 
by  a  devoted  admirer  of  Theodore  Parker,  still 
living  in  Minneapolis;  and  he  was  so  touched  by 
its  sympathetic  reference  to  his  old  friend,  that  he 
at  once  became  a  regular  attendant  upon  Mr. 
Tuttle's  ministrations,  saying  that  "  he  would 
henceforth  listen  to  the  preacher  who  could  say  a 
good  word  for  Theodore  Parker." 

THE   HOLY    LAND 

After  passing  through  Greece,  Turkey,  and 
Egypt,  March  15,  1874,  finds  him  in  the  Holy 
City.  "  We  have  at  length  reached  tlie  extreme 
objective  point  of  our  journey.  It  is  a  long  path 
that  has  Minneapolis  for  one  of  its  ends  and  Jeru- 
salem for  the  other,  —  much  longer  than  from  Dan 
to  Beersheba.  What  a  contrast  between  these  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  earth  —  in  peoples,  climates, 
lands,  and  historic  interest.  Minnesota  I  Pales- 
tine !     It  hardly  seems  credible  that  both  belong 


106  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

to  the  same  world.  Here  Christianity  began  — 
why  is  so  little  of  it  found  here  now?  "  Then  he 
continues : 

But  we  have  come  this  long  distance,  not,  chiefly,  to  see 
the  degraded  people  who,  at  present,  have  possession  of 
Palestine,  but  to  visit  the  places  made  sacred  by  what  was 
in  and  around  them  thousands  of  years  ago ;  as  secondary 
in  importance,  however,  we  desire  to  study  the  character 
of  the  races  to  whom  this  country  has  descended,  that,  along 
with  our  other  knowledge,  we  may  carry  home  with  us  a 
lesson  of  charity  and  a  wider  acquaintance  with  the  great 
human  family  to  which  we  belong.  To  know  what  hu- 
manity is,  we  must  see  all  sides  of  it  —  and  here,  surely,  is 
a  side  of  it  somewhat  unlike  anything  we  ever  witnessed 
before. 

This  was  the  object  of  his  journey,  and  the  fol- 
lowing paragraph  reveals  the  attitude  of  his  mind : 

As  it  regards  the  exact  locality  of  this  or  that  event 
connected  with  the  Saviour's  history,  in  and  about  Jeru- 
salem, we  cannot  reasonably  suppose  that  all  the  traditions 
in  this  matter  are  well  founded,  nor  is  it  safe  to  affirm 
that  they  are  all  false.  We  are  not  very  anxious  for  the 
precise  truth  here  ;  it  is  enough  to  feel  certain  that  we  are 
standing  or  walking  near  where  Christ  lived;  near  the 
spots  made  forever  memorable  by  His  greatness  and  good- 
ness.    Tennyson's  lines  often  came  into  our  thoughts  : 

"  Strong  Son  of  God,  Immortal  Love, 

Whom  we,  who  have  not  seen  Thy  face, 
By  faith,  and  faith  alone,  embrace, 
Believing  where  we  cannot  prove." 


A    YEAR  OF   TRAVEL  107 


ON  THE  MOUNT  OF  OLIVES 

There  is  room  for  but  a  single  extract  from  his 
journal,  but  the  following  \vill  illustrate  the  spirit 
in  which  he  traversed  all  that  "  laud  of  ancient 
story  " : 

From  the  Mount  of  Olives  one  gets  the  best  view  of 
Jerusalem  ;  the  view  on  every  side  from  here  is  grand. 
On  the  south  and  east  of  us  we  could  distinctly  see  the 
Dead  Sea,  and  trace  the  Jordan  running  into  it.  Never 
can  we  forget  this  afternoon's  experience.  The  weather 
was  perfect  and  our  cup  of  enthusiasm  ran  over.  For  a 
whole  hour  we  stood  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  looking  — 
meditating.  How  many  things  connected  with  Bible  history 
crowded  on  our  mind  !  There  the  Sa^•iou^  often  stood  — 
there  he  talked  with  his  disciples  —  there  he  looked  down 
on  Jenasalem  and  wept  —  near  there  ascended.  Down  in 
the  deep  valley,  between  us  and  the  city  was  Gethsemane ! 
Over  on  the  other  side,  three  miles  away,  was  Bethany, 
where  Mary  and  Martha  lived,  and  where  Lazarus  was 
raised.  We  rode  down  to  this  latter  place,  coming  back 
by  a  more  southern  route,  descending  into  the  valley  of 
Kidron,  or  Jehoshaphat  again,  stopping  just  as  the  sun 
was  setting,  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  ! 

THE  RETURN :    SWITZERLAND,  FRANCE,  BRITISH 
ISLES 

The  farthest  point  of  his  journey  having  been 
reached,  Mr,  Tuttle,  on  his  return,  visited  Switzer- 
land and  France,  spent  a  little  more  time  in  Eng- 


108  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

land,  and  before  sailing  for  home  ran  up  to  Ayr, 
the  birthplace  of  Robert  Burns.  From  his  notes 
in  Paris,  the  following  paragraphs,  upon  the  work 
and  influence  of  Napoleon  III,  are  taken : 

When  Napoleon  IIE  became  master  of  the  "  Second 
Empire,"  he  set  out  to  make  Paris  the  most  beautiful  city 
in  the  world,  and  he  succeeded  ;  but  we  all  know  at  what 
a  fearful  sacrifice.  He  gave  away  the  real  strength  of  his 
people  to  buy  gloss  for  deceiving  them.  While  he  was 
opening  boulevards,  erecting  triumphal  arches,  and  bewil- 
dering his  admirers  with  such  scenes  of  magnificence  as 
were  never  before  crowded  into  any  modern  metropolis, 
the  Emperor  of  Germany,  with  better  philosophy,  but  less 
care  for  external  effect,  was  teaching  his  sturdy  soldiers 
those  arts  which,  whatever  may  be  their  value  in  times  of 
peace,  are  indispensable  in  war.  The  bad  news  which,  on 
September  4,  1870,  reached  Paris  from  Sedan,  pro- 
claimed the  truth  to  the  French,  that  pleasure-seekers 
are  not  the  best  fighters,  that  tinsel  cannot  withstand  cannon 
balls,  and  that  a  ruler,  who  has  no  plan  for  preventing  the  , 
rebellion  of  his  subjects  but  to  keep  them  occupied  with 
amusement,  must  sooner  or  later  lose  his  throne. 

THE    AMERICAN   MINISTER 

One  of  the  most  interesting  records  of  his  stay 
in  Paris,  is  that  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  visit  to 
the  home  of  the  American  Minister,  Hon.  E.  B„ 
Washbume,  where,  among  other  paintings  on  the 
wall,  was  one  of  the  old  Universalist  church  m 
Livermore,  Maine. 


A    YEAR  OF  TRAVEL  109 

A  letter  of  introduction  to  him  gave  us  the  advantage 
of  special  kindness  from  E.  B.  Washburne,  our  American 
Minister  at  Paris  ;  among  others,  an  invitation  to  dine  with 
him  and  his  family.  Mr.  Washburne  was  here  during  the 
siege,  and  since.  His  position  was  one  of  unusual  respon- 
sibility and  difficulty,  and  yet  he  was  fortunate  enough  to 
secure  the  entire  approval  of  both  France  and  America. 
We  have  heard  his  name  mentioned  here  often  by  various 
classes,  and  always  with  extreme  praise.  His  residence 
is  in  a  charming  part  of  the  city,  and  overlooks  the  way 
leading  to  the  Bois  de  Boulogne.  We  were  not  surprised 
to  see  a  full-sized  portrait  of  General  Grant  on  his  parlor 
wall.  The  general  is  represented  in  a  military  coat,  and 
with  one  leg  thrown  over  the  other,  in  an  easy,  character- 
istic manner.  A  fine  portrait  of  Dr.  Franklin,  one  of  our 
earliest  Ministers  at  the  Court  of  France,  hangs  near.  The 
room  contained  several  admirable  paintings.  In  the 
reception  room  was  a  picture  by  Catlin,  of  a  group  of  cele- 
brated American  Indian  chiefs.  But  the  picture  which 
Mr.  Washburne  seemed  to  regard  with  peculiar  pride,  and 
before  which  his  heart  evidently  warmed  most,  was  one 
representing  the  old  homestead  and  the  old  church  in  Liver- 
more,  Maine.  Few  homes  liave  had  more  honor  reflected 
back  upon  them  than  that. 

HOME    AGAIN 

This  chapter  is  necessarily  one  of  fragments.  It 
would  have  been  impossible,  within  reasonable  space, 
to  have  given  a  complete  account  of  that  journey, 
so  memorable  to  Mr,  Tuttle,  and  to  his  church. 
Random  glimpses  only  have  been  possible.  The  re- 
sults will  presently  be  summed  up  in  his  own  words. 


110  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

One  incident  of  his  home-coming  always  greatly 
amused  Mr.  Tuttle.  The  train,  upon  which  he 
came  from  St.  Paul,  stopped  at  Fort  Snelling  to 
take  on  a  military  band.  Mr.  Tuttle  happened  to 
ask  the  leader  where  they  were  going.  He  rephed, 
in  broken  English :  "  Ve  go  to  Minneapolis ;  dere 
is  von  tarn  pishop  come  home,  unt  we  moost  gif 
him  some  moosic."  When  the  train  reached  the 
station,  great  was  the  astonishment  of  Mr.  Tuttle  — 
and,  no  doubt,  of  the  band  leader,  also  —  to  find 
out  that  he  himself  was  the  "tam  pishop"  to  be 
welcomed  with  music.  A  large  crowd  of  parish- 
ioners was  awaiting  him.  He  was  put  into  a  car- 
riage, and  a  procession  was  formed,  headed  by  this 
same  band,  which  moved  around  by  the  rising 
walls  of  the  new  church,  and  down  to  the  old  one, 
where  an  informal  reception  was  held. 

SUNDAY    SERVICES 

The  Sunday  following,  the  church  was  decorated 
in  the  most  elaborate  manner,  and  over  and  about, 
and  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  were  blossoms  of  every 
kind  and  description.  An  arch  was  erected  over 
the  pulpit,  and  on  it  were  the  words,  "  Welcome 
Home,"  wrought  in  flowers ;  and  the  word, 
"  Welcome,"  also  adorned  the  gallery  opposite. 
The  music  was  rendered  by  a  double  quartette, 
composed  of  Miss  Anderson  (Mrs.  S.  S.  Brown), 


A    YEAR  OF  TRAVEL  111 

Mrs.  Tyler,  Mrs.  Melendy,  and  Mrs.  Cushman,  and 
Messrs.  Charles  B.  Eustis,  J.  A.  Bowman,  Place, 
and  Lyman.  Professor  Marston  conducted  the 
opening  exercises,  after  which  Mr.  Tuttle  spoke : 

It  is  nearly  a  year  since  I  stood  here  and  parted  from 
you  with  a  few  farewell  words.  I  remember  the  enthu- 
siasm with  which  I  spoke  of  my  journey,  and  the  joy  with 
which  I  thought  of  taking  it.  Much  of  the  latter  came 
from  the  fact  that  you  did  not  ask  me  to  resign,  but  gen- 
erously voted  me  a  year's  absence.  Then  I  was  about  to 
take  a  journey  full  of  life-long  expectations  ;  now  I  stand 
here,  not  to  tell  you  that  I  am  going,  but  that  I  have  been  ; 
to  tell  you  that  I  have  seized  the  argosy  of  jjleasure,  which 
seemed  so  far  away,  and  have  enjoyed  it  to  the  fullest 
extent. 

THE   HOME   TIES 

All  through  my  travels,  I  felt  the  ties  that  have  so 
long  united  me  to  this  church,  pulling  my  heart,  and  pull- 
ing me  back  to  you.  I  never  entered  a  church,  large  or 
small,  old  or  new,  or  even  a  cathedral,  that  1  did  not  think 
of  the  church  you  are  building,  and  did  not  look  it  over 
with  the  idea  of  getting  some  new  suggestion  or  device 
that  would  be  of  benefit  to  us.  I  never  sat  in  a  congrega- 
tion, but  I  thought  of  this  congregation,  and  in  listening  to 
the  preachers,  I  found  myself  weaving  thoughts  together 
which  I  should  take  pleasure  in  presenting  to  you.  I 
never  saw  fields  that  I  did  not  think  of  the  beautiful  fields 
in  Minnesota;  I  never  saw  a  river  but  I  thought  of  the 
Mississippi ;  I  never  saw  lakes  but  I  thouglit  of  ours ;  I 
never  listened  to  the  music  of  a  waterfall  that  I  did  not 
think  of  our  own  St.  Anthony  or  Minnehaha. 


112  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 


THE   GREAT    LESSONS 

Emerson  has  somewhere  spoken  of  the  surprise 
of  those  who,  traveling  in  other  lands,  do  not  find 
their  own  particular  church,  but  do  find  that  the 
world  goes  on  and  that  society  seems  perfectly 
safe  without  it.  Mr.  Tuttle  could  sympathize 
with  the  sentiment  of  Emerson. 

Travel  has  taken  out  of  me  a  great  deal  of  conceit, 
and  some  bigotry.  A  man  spends  his  bigotry  abroad  as 
fast  as  his  money,  and  tliat  is  very  fast.  I  do  not  think 
that  there  is  a  country  in  the  world  equal  to  America.  I 
have  not  changed  as  to  my  Christian  faith;  I  have  lost 
none  of  my  faith  in  God,  in  Christ,  or  in  the  Bible ;  or  in 
the  doctrines  that  characterize  our  denomination.  But  my 
heart  goes  out  with  feelings  of  yearning  to  other  churches. 
I  found  but  little  of  our  faith  there,  but  found  those  who  felt 
as  we  do.  I  have  gone  among  all  denominations  and  been 
treated  well,  tho'  they  knew  what  a  wonderful  heretic  I  am. 
No  one  ever  refused  me  the  communion,  and  I  found  a  grow- 
ing liberality  and  kindness  on  the  part  of  other  churches. 
The  time  is  coming  when  the  walls  between  the  churches 
will  be  broken  down  and  when  the  grand  Christian  hearts 
in  all  denominations  will  be  brought  together.  It  shall  be 
my  aim,  during  the  remaining  years  of  my  life,  to  do  what 
I  can  to  bring  all  of  the  sects  together.  I  visited  the 
graves  of  John  Bunyan  and  John  Wesley,  and  thanked 
God  that  they  did  so  much  good,  each  in  his  own  way. 
Let  all  denominations  come  together,  and  with  their  souls 
united  in  a  common  communion  and  their  hands  clasped, 
go  up  together  to  God's  white  throne. 


A   YEAR  OF   TRAVEL  113 


WAITING   FOR    HIS   COMING 

A  touching  incident  of  his  return  is  related  by 
one  of  his  life-long  friends.  A  prominent  man  had 
long  been  ill.  Everything  had  been  done  for  him 
that  medical  science  could  do.  At  last  he  was 
given  up  to  die.  He  put  his  affairs  in  shape  and 
made  all  preparations  for  the  end.  He  was  a  man 
of  high  courage  and  free  from  the  superstitions  that 
attach  to  death ;  but  something  seemed  to  trouble 
him.  At  last  he  confided  it  to  one  who  watched 
for  many  nights  by  his  bedside.  "  I  have  all  my 
business  arranged,"  he  said,  "  I  am  ready  to  go ; 
but  I  am  trpng  to  live  till  Mr.  Tuttle  gets  back. 
I  feel  that  I  cannot  die  till  I  have  looked  once 
more  into  that  good  man's  face  ! "  And  his  prayer 
was  answered.  He  lived  to  look  once  more  upon 
the  face  that  proved  such  a  benediction  to  multi- 
tudes. Then,  like  Simeon  of  old,  perchance  he 
said,  in  spirit,  if  not  in  words,  and  with  all  due 
reverence : 

Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart,  O  Lord, 

According  to  thy  word,  in  peace ; 

For  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation ! 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER 

Lectures  by  the  Pastor  —  Completion  and  Dedication  of  the 
Church  —  Dedicated  as  Church  of  the  Redeemer  —  Dr. 
Miner's  Sermon  —  Doctor  of  Divinity  —  Across  the  Plains  — 
A  False  Alarm  —  Custer's  War-Horse  —  Ice-Water  in  the 
Desert  —  A  Traveler's  Description  of  the  Church  —  Church 
Life  and  Activity. 

The  conditions  of  the  resolution  offered  at  a 
meeting  of  the  society,  July  17, 1872,  to  the  effect 
that  the  erection  of  a  new  building  be  commenced 
when  $40,000  had  been  actually  subscribed,  seem 
to  have  been  quickly  fulfilled  ;  for  the  foundations 
at  Eighth  street  and  Second  avenue  South,  were 
laid  during  the  following  year,  1873.  The  walls 
soon  began  to  rise.  Early  in  1875,  the  congrega- 
tion bade  farewell  to  the  old  house  and  moved  into 
the  vestry  of  the  new,  where  they  worshiped  until 
the  main  part  was  completed,  in  1876. 

LECTURES   BY  MR.  TUTTLB 

The  pastor  soon  turned  his  European  trip  to 
practical  account  for  the  benefit  of  the  building 
enterprise  now  being  pushed  so  rapidly  forward 
under  the  efficient  building  committee.  In  a  pri- 
vate letter,  written  soon  after  his  return  (December 

114 


CHURCH   OF  THE   REDEEMER,    MINNEAPOLIS, 
as  dedicated   in  1876 


THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER        115 

16, 1874),  he  says :  "  I  have  written  and  delivered 
six  long  lectures,  besides  my  usual  sermons  and 
other  parish  cares."     Then  he  goes  on : 

Our  society  is  getting  on  nicely,  although  we  feel  some- 
what disorganized,  while  letting  go  of  the  old  church,  and 
getting  into  the  new.  When  I  returned,  the  ladies  had  in 
their  furnishing  fund,  about  $1,900;  my  lectures  brought 
them  nearly  $600  more,  making  $2,500.  The  fair,  which 
has  just  closed,  added  $1,000,  making  a  total  of  $3,500. 
They  did  grandly.  The  fair  was  a  great  success.  We 
have  a  noble  working  society.  We  hope  to  get  into  the 
vestry  in  a  couple  of  months ;  it  will  be  a  year  or  more 
before  the  church  is  completed. 

These  lectures  were  not  only  in  demand  in 
Minneapolis,  but  throughout  the  State,  and  were 
delivered  in  many  towns  and  cities.  They  added 
new  laurels  to  the  brow  of  Mv.  Tuttle.  They 
opened  new  avenues  of  usefulness  and  enhanced 
his  reputation.  They  helped  to  make  him  and  the 
church  more  widely  known.  They  led  to  inquiries 
concerning  his  religious  doctrines,  and  not  infre- 
quently a  lecture  was  followed  by  an  invitation  to 
preach.  The  following  from  an  Austin  (Minn.) 
paper  describes  his  style  and  manner  as  a  lecturer: 

Mr.  Tuttle  adopts  the  colloquial  style  of  discourse  — 
never  indulging  in  flights  of  oratory,  nor  allowing  his 
imagination  to  make  him  over  enthusiastic.  He  simply 
tells  the  story  of  his  travels,  so  that  all  who  hear  him  seem, 
for  the  time  being,  to  be  in  the  midst  of  the  scenes,  to  a 
description  of  which  they  are  listening.     The  speaker  oc- 


116  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

casionally  tells  of  the  sensations  which  are  inspired  by 
visiting  those  sacred  places,  and  to  which  he  sometimes 
gave  way  when  standing  in  some  of  those  places  which 
were  the  scenes  of  the  Saviour's  peculiar  trials.  The  whole 
narration  is  so  simple,  so  faithful,  and  so  touching,  that 
none  can  listen  to  it  without  being  deeply  impressed. 

COMPLETION    AND    DEDICATION    OF    THE    CHURCH 

Thus  pastor  and  people  wrought  together  until 
the  building  was  finally  completed  and  ready  for 
dedication.  About  a  week  before  this  event,  at 
a  trustee  meeting,  held  in  the  office  of  Dorilus 
Morrison,  W.  D.  Washburn  moved,  —  and  the 
motion  was  unanimously  carried,  —  that  the  new 
church  be  dedicated  as  "  The  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer." By  that  name,  it  ever  since  has  been 
known.  The  honor  of  naming  it  belongs  to  Mr. 
Washburn.  The  dedication  was  a  tremendous 
occasion.  The  large  stone  temple  was  itself  the 
most  splendid  building  of  its  kind  in  the  city. 
No  other  society  was  so  magnificently  housed.  It 
was  built  of  native  blue  limestone,  in  the  Gothic 
style  of  architecture,  with  a  spire  rising  two  hun- 
dred and  twelve  feet  from  the  ground,  —  a  spire  in 
which  the  generosity  of  Mr.  Washburn  subse- 
quently (November,  1882)  placed  a  clock  and  a 
chime  of  bells.^     The  day  of  dedication,  July  10, 

'  The  first  memorial  window  ever  placed  in  the  church  was 
also  given  by  Hon.  W.  D.  "Washbm'n,  in  memory  of  his  son, 
Franklin  "Washburn. 


THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER        117 

1876,  was  one  of  the  most  perfect  of  Minnesota's 
summer  days.  The  aiulitoriura  was  beautifully 
decorated.  In  front  of  the  pulpit  platform  was  a 
memorial  tablet ;  a  bed  of  moss  fringed  with  roses, 
and  in  the  center  of  the  tablet  were  woven  in 
pansies  of  delicate  hue,  the  initials  of  the  pastor's 
beloved  wife,  "  H.  M.  T.,"  who  was  not  spared  to 
see  the  result  of  what  her  influence  had  helped 
to  accomplish.  And  yet  one  cannot  but  feel  that 
she  knew  and  witnessed  the  glorious  consummation. 
The  lines  of  Tennyson  come  almost  unbidden. 

"  Nor  count  me  all  to  blame,  if  I 
Conjecture  of  a  stiller  guest, 
Perchance,  jjerchance  among  the  rest. 
And  tho'  in  silence  wishing  joy." 

The  church  was  filled  to  overflowing,  and  hun- 
dreds were  turned  away.  There  were  three  ser- 
vices. In  the  morning.  Dr.  A.  A.  Miner,  of  Boston, 
preached  the  dedication  sermon ;  in  the  afternoon, 
Rev.  Robert  Collyer  —  then  of  Chicago — preached; 
and  in  the  evening,  Dr.  Sumner  Ellis,  of  Chicago. 
Commenting  upon  the  attendance  at  all  these  ser- 
vices, one  of  the  daily  papers  said :  "  It  was  such 
an  outpouring  of  the  religious  commmiity,  as  we 
do  not  remember  to  have  heretofore  witnessed  in 
this  city." 

DK.    ]MINER's    sermon 

A  full  description  of  this  great  event,  the  dedi- 
cation of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  is  given  in 


118  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

The  Field  and  the  Fruity  so  that  the  details  need 
not  be  repeated  here.  It  seems  worth  while,  how- 
ever, to  give  a  paragraph  or  two  from  the  very  con- 
densed account  of  Dr.  Miner's  wonderful  sermon. 
The  reporter  admits  that,  "  in  common  with  that 
vast  audience,  he  was  lost  to  everything  save  the 
eloquent  speaker  and  his  theme,  and  his  pencil  for- 
got its  duty  until  the  last  word  was  spoken  "  ;  but 
he  has,  at  least,  preserved  the  thought.  The  text 
was  from  1  Cor.  xii,  27  —  "  Now  ye  are  the  body 
of  Christ  and  members  in  particular."  Dr.  Miner 
said: 

The  apostle  recognizes  in  these  words,  the  great  fact 
that  the  church  is  an  organism  and  that  every  member  of 
it  is  a  component  part  or  factor  of  the  whole.  Humanity 
at  large  is  a  complex  organism,  every  member  of  it  de- 
pendent entirely  upon  every  other  member,  and  this  inter- 
dependence must  be  recognized  in  every  department  of 
life,  both  physical,  moral,  and  intellectual.  Xo  person 
may  live  apart  and  independent  of  his  fellow-man ;  even 
in  the  crudest  forms  of  existence  this  interdependence  is 
apparent.  ...  It  has  been  claimed  that  the  normal  con- 
dition of  mankind  is  warfare,  that  every  person  is  an  Ish- 
maelite,  his  hand  against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand 
against  him.  At  times  this  may  seem  to  be  true;  but 
when  we  call  to  mind  this  intricate  dependency,  this  theory 
has  no  weight.  An  individual  may  succeed  for  a  season 
in  warring  upon  society,  and  apparently  prosper  abun- 
dantly in  so  doing,  but  it  amounts  to  little  more  than  a 
temporary  derangement  —  a  creaking  in  the  machine  —  the 
machine  is  not  seriously  affected.     In  God's  providence,  it 


THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER       119 

has  been  ordained  that  all  labor  and  live  for  the  benefit 
and  happiness  of  eai-h  other.  .  .  .  Mankind  is  essentially 
social  and  consequently  sympathetie.  .  .  .  iiunian  sym- 
pathy is  tUrectly  from  Ciod  and  is  (Jodlike,  and  by  it  we  are 
bound  to  God  and  to  immortality.  AV'heu  one  loses  a  dear 
friend,  if  never  before,  that  person  turns  to  hope  of  an  ex- 
istence beyond  the  grave,  the  hope  of  meeting  the  loved 
one  in  a  glorious  immortality.  That  .^jympatiiy  is  touch- 
ingly  illustrated  at  the  present  moment  in  this  church. 
The  beautiful  floral  tribute  to  the  memory  of  tlie  departed 
wife  of  your  beloved  pastor  is  an  evidence  of  it.  The 
cross,  our  only  hope  of  heaven,  which  has  been  made  to 
blossom  into  a  thing  of  beauty,  is  an  evidence  of  it.  This 
concourse  of  people,  gathered  at  these  services,  is  an  evi- 
dence of  it.  .  .  .  The  various  churches  throughout  the  land, 
operating  through  a  common  sympathy  are  accomplishing  a 
great  work,  and  I  rejoice  in  the  prosperity  of  each  and 
every  one  of  them,  no  matter  what  may  be  its  doctrine  or 
ritual.  They  work  together  for  good.  The  erection  of 
this  beautiful  church  edifice  in  this  remote  city  will  be  a 
material  help  to  my  own  parish  in  Boston,  far  more  than 
any  donation  in  money.  It  exerts  an  influence  that  will 
be  felt  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land. 
Churches  can  no  more  pass  an  independent  existence  than 
can  men. 

The  lessons  which  Dr.  Miner  gave  on  that  event- 
ful day,  have  been  heeded  in  the  after  history  of 
the  church  and  people.  They  have  ever  been 
bound  together  in  sympathy  and  helpfulness,  each 
to  the  other,  and  all  to  every  good  cause ;  and 
largely  so  because  they  had  constantly  before  them 
in  the  person  of  their  pastor,  one  who  preeminently 


120  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

illustrated  the  truth  of  the  discourse.  "  The 
people,"  says  a  visitor  from  the  East,  shortly  after 
the  dedication,  "  were  not  slow  in  assuring  me  — 
what  I  already  knew  must  be  true  —  that  they  owe 
their  unity,  prosperity  and  abounding  activity,  to 
the  fidelity,  wisdom,  industry,  and  above  all,  to 
the  genuine  goodness  of  their  minister.  An  able 
and  always  instructive  preacher,  a  constant  student, 
and  an  indefatigable  worker,  he  is  —  beyond  all 
else  —  a  man  of  such  rare  tact  and  transparent 
goodness  of  heart,  that  his  life  gives  potency  to 
his  word  and  efficacy  to  his  labor." 


DOCTOR  OF  DIVESriTY 

In  the  early  Summer  of  1878,  an  incident  oc- 
curred which  was  gratifying  as  it  was  unexpected. 
It  was  an  honor  conferred  upon  the  pastor  which 
recognized  his  position  and  achievements.  While 
Mr.  Tuttle  had  never  completed  the  college  course 
of  which  he  dreamed  as  a  youth,  he  had  early  ac- 
quired the  student's  habits  of  mind,  and  had  always 
been  a  diligent  worker  in  all  departments  of  knowl- 
edge. His  outlook  had  been  broadened,  and  his 
mind  had  added  to  its  furnishing  by  his  year  of 
foreign  travel.  He  had  become  a  scholar  of  rare 
attainments.  It  is  seldom  that  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  is  so  worthily  bestowed  as  it 
was  when  Buchtel  College  conferred  it  upon  James 


THE  CHURCH  OF   THE  REDEEMER        121 

H.  Tuttle*  That  institution  honored  itself  by  this 
action,  no  less  than  it  did  the  pastor  of  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer.  The  announcement  was  made, 
in  the  following  letter,  from  Dr.  J.  S.  Cantwell, 
dated  Akron,  O.,  June  28,  1878 : 

"  Dear  Bro.  Tuttle  :  I  have  the  pleasure  of  announ- 
cmg  to  you  that  Buchtel  College  has  conferred  on  you 
to-day,  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  I  had 
the  honor  to  present  your  name  to  the  President,  and  can 
assure  you  that  he  heartily  seconded  the  suggestion  and 
that  the  vote  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  was  unanimous.  It 
was  the  only  honorary  degree  conferred.  May  your  quiet 
and  useful  life  be  long  spared  to  add  constant  honor  to  the 
new  title  by  which  you  will  henceforth  be  known.  We 
can  not  add  any  honor  or  dignity  to  you,  but  it  honors  us 
who  have  been  instrumental  in  having  it  conferred,  and  the 
college  which  sanctions  its  bestowal.  May  God  bless  and 
keep  Dr.  J.  H.  Tuttle  all  his  days.  This  is  not  official,  but 
it  is  none  the  less  sincere  and  true." 

The  official  notice  soon  followed.  He  is  now 
Dr.  Tuttle ;  and  by  that  Avell-deserved  title, 
and  the  one  which  is  most  familiar  to  the  readers 
of  this  book,  he  shall  be  called  henceforth  in  these 
pages.  "  Buchtel's  selection  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Tuttle 
as  its  candidate  for  Doctor  of  Divinity,"  writes  one 
high  in  the  denominational  councils,  "  was  a  happy 
inspiration.  Modesty  and  merit  are  the  distin- 
guishing characteristics  of  our  Minnesota  brother. 
It  is  remarkable  that  a  clergyman  so  widely 
known,  so  universally  held   in    high   esteem,  and 


122  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

withal  so  careful  and  industrious  a  scholar,  should 
have  so  long  escaped  the  notice  of  the  colleges." 

ACROSS   THE   PLAINS 

A  month  later,  Dr.  Tuttle  received  an  invitation 
to  which  he  refers  in  the  following  letter,  dated 
July  28,  1878: 

I  have  an  invitation  from  General  Rosser  and  his  party 
to  go  with  them  to  the  Yellowstone  River,  several  hundred 
miles  west  of  Bismarck.  They  go  out  to  explore  the  coun- 
try, with  a  view  to  extending  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad. 
It  is  a  rare  chance  for  me  to  see  that  country,  and 
to  get  the  change,  out-of-door  life,  etc.,  I  so  much 
need,  and  I  can  hardly  resist  the  invitation.  .  .  .  P.S. 
It  is  now  arranged  that  James  shall  go  with  me,  and  I  am 
glad,  for  he  needs  the  change  even  more  than  I  do.  ...  I 
anticipate  a  very  pleasant  trip,  but  wish  there  were  no 
danger  from  Indians  to  think  about. 

In  the  company,  were  George  A.  Bractett  and 
Dorilus  Morrison.  The  trip  was  made,  with  no 
danger  from  Indians,  under  an  escort  of  soldiers 
from  Fort  Abraham  Lincoln,  which  is  located 
across  the  river  from  Bismarck.  To  Dr.  Tuttle  this 
excursion  was  an  education  in  the  topography  of 
the  country,  its  natural  resources,  its  adaptability 
to  sustain  a  population.  The  notes  of  this  journey, 
which  he  afterwards  wrote  out,  show  his  close  and 
intelligent  observation.  In  Europe,  he  witnessed 
the  theaters  of  history  past ;  on  the  plains  of  the 


THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER        123 

West  and  Northwest,  he  saw  the  theaters  of  history 
to  be  made.  There  is  only  room  for  two  or  three 
incidents  of  this  interesting  trip. 

A   FALSE   ALARM 

Once  we  saw  what  seemed  an  Indian  trail,  a  narrow 
path  with  freshly-trodden  grass.  We  stopped  the  coach. 
A  thrill  of  excitement  ran  over  us  —  some  of  us  at  least. 
It  cannot  have  been  many  hours,  we  thought,  since  more 
than  a  score  of  moccasins  pressed  down  that  grass !  The 
savages  may  not  be  far  away  ;  they  may  lift  their  painted 
faces  out  of  the  weeds  at  any  moment !  Mr.  Brackett 
jumped  out  of  the  coach,  and  examined  the  trail.  "  Which 
way  were  they  going  ?  "  The  grass  seemed  to  be  bent  down 
more  towards  the  southwest  —  nearly  the  direction  we  were 
going.  They  must  then  be  ahead  of  us !  Mr.  Brackett 
followed  the  trail  a  few  rods  and  found  the  end  of  it  in  a 
badger's  hole. 

Custer's  war-horse 

The  gallant,  but  ill-fated  Custer  resided  for  a  time  at 
Fort  Lincoln  ;  we  can  see  the  house  he  lived  in  down  under 
the  hill  in  the  officer's  quarter.  We  shall  follow  the  trail 
for  many  miles,  along  which  his  noble  cavalry  rode  to  theix 
terrible  death.  The  horse  he  rode  in  that  sad  andmemor-. 
able  hour,  and  which,  scarred  with  bullet  holes,  miracu^ 
lously  escaped  from  the  bloody  field,  and  wandered  about 
alone  for  days,  is  said  to  be  seen  in  one  of  the  stables  here, 
where  he  is  carefully  kept  as  an  object  of  solemn  veneniT 
tion. 


124  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


ICE-WATER   IN    THE   DESERT 

Speaking  of  the  intense  heat  to  which  they  were 
subjected,  and  the  impossibility  of  obtaining  cold 
water,  Dr.  Tuttle  writes : 

Once  during  the  trip  we  had  ice-water,  and  this  is  the 
way  we  obtained  it.  The  heavens  sent  it  to  us,  and  never 
did  tliey  send  anything  so  grateful.  It  had  been  one  of  the 
liottestof  days,  and  our  thirst  had  been  the  severest,  our 
tongues  and  lips  were  parched,  and  we  had  an  indescribable 
longing  for  a  cooler  drink  than  we  had  within  reach. 
Suddenly  the  sun  was  obscured  by  a  small  cloud  ;  the 
cloud  grew  bigger,  and  presently  it  began  to  rain;  it 
rained  harder,  furiously  ;  and  then  it  hailed,  the  white 
stones  coming  down  as  large  as  walnuts,  the  wind  blowing 
so  hard  in  the  meantime  that  we  feared  the  stage  might  be 
overturned.  Mr.  Morrison  held  up  his  cup,  and  caught 
the  streams  which  poured  off  our  canvass  roof,  and  Mr. 
Brackett  gathered  the  hail-stones ;  so  we  had  ice-water 
direct  from  the  skies.  How  delicious  !  how  gratefully  we 
drank  it ! 

A  traveler's  description 

In  October,  1878,  Dr.  I.  M.  Atwood,  in  the  course 
of  a  Western  journey,  stopped  in  Minneapolis,  and 
has  left  upon  record  his  impressions  of  the  church 
building,  and  of  the  congregation  that  worshiped 
in  it: 

I  had  heard  much  of  the  chvirch  and  my  expectations 
were  well  up.     But  I  was  not  prepared  to  fiud  such  an 


THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER        125 

architectural  gem,  albeit  on  the  bosom  of  so  fair  a  city  as 
Mimieapolis.  I  looked  at  it,  and  over  it,  many  times,  and 
in  all  lights  and  from  every  angle,  but  I  could  not  escape 
the  conviction  forced  on  me,  when  I  first  saw  it,  that  it  is 
the  handsomest  church  1  was  ever  in.  Externally  it  is 
very  beautiful,  but  the  interior  is  faultless.  I  shall  not 
attempt  to  describe  it.  .  .  .  The  best  description  woukl 
entirely  fail  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  unique  beauty  of  this 
elegant  tenii)le.  I  wish  merely  to  put  on  record,  here,  the 
impression  it  made  on  me.  We  have  some  churches  that 
are  larger,  some  that  are  more  pretentious  in  their  style, 
and  some  that  are  completer  in  their  apijointments.  But 
we  have  not  one  that  compares  with  this  uniform  artistic 
propriety.  It  is  solid,  graceful,  convenient,  elegant.  The 
total  cost  of  the  edifice  was  about  S85,000.  ...  I  never 
saw  an  audience-room  so  admirably  adapted  to  "show  off  " 
a  congregation.  And  having  said  that,  I  am  bound  in 
candor  to  add,  that  I  have  never  seen  an  audience,  which 
would  better  bear  exposure  in  a  strong  light.  If  I  may  judge 
the  congi'egation  which  usually  worships  in  that  church,  by 
the  one  I  had  the  pleasure  of  addressing,  morning  and 
evening,  of  the  21st  of  October,  it  has  few  equals  In  our 
commimion,  and  no  superiors,  however  estimated.^ 

*  The  following  item  appeared  about  this  time  in  the  Min- 
neapolis Tribune :  "  General  Washburn  has  always  been  a 
prominent  member.  Dorilus  Morrison,  the  millionau-e  park 
commissioner,  miller,  and  manufactui-er,  occupies  a  prominent 
pew.  C.  M.  Loring,  of  the  park  board,  is  a  regulai-  attendant. 
Thomas  Lowry,  the  horse-car  potentate,  sits  well  to  the  front. 
Mayor  Rand  and  his  son-iu-law,  John  R.  Coykendall,  are 
both  prominent  and  esteemed  members.  Judge  M.  B.  Koon, 
after  a  week  of  terrestrial  law  hears  the  divine  jurisprudence 
expovmded  by  Dr.  Tuttle.  "W.  S.  ICing,  the  ferocious  cham- 
pion of  Minneapolis,  imbibes  the  doctrines  of  peace  and  good- 
will to  men  beneath  the  spire  of  this  chmxh.    A.  B.  Barton,  the 


126  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


CHURCH    LIFE    AND    ACTIVITY 

This  was  the  way  it  appeared  to  an  outsider. 
The  pastor  has  left  us  a  glimpse  of  the  life  and 
activity  of  the  church,  at  this  period,  from  within. 
"  I  have  been  unusually  busy,"  he  writes  (June  27, 
1879).  "  The  truth  is,  my  work  and  my  care  ac^ 
cumulate  every  year.  The  society  is  so  large,  my 
field  widens  so  much,  that  I  have  really  more  on 
my  hands  than  I  can  well  attend  to.  Everything 
is  going  on  about  as  usual.  Children's  Sunday 
passed  off  well,  although  the  day  was  cloudy  and 
chilly.  Several  children  were  dedicated.  .  .  .  To- 
night, we  all  go  to  Mrs.  Pray's  to  a  church  straw- 
berry festival  on  the  lawn.  It  is  managed  by  the 
Can  and  Will  Club,  a  new  organization  among  the 
young  folks  in  the  church.  We  have  another  or- 
ganization composed  of  still  younger  folk,  called 
the  Willing  Workers.  Then  we  have  the  Young 
People's  Union  of  older  ones.  So  you  see 
we  are  at  work.     We  are  trying  to  pay  off  the 

manager  of  Lakewood;  George  W.  Chowen,  the  man  of  title 
abstracts ;  0.  A.  Pray,  the  wealthy  foundryman  ;  Leonard 
Day,  the  liberal  lumberman  ;  George  K.  Newell,  the  wholesale 
grocer;  George  A.  Camp,  successful  in  lumber;  W.  "W.  East- 
man, the  Nicollet  Island  capitalist  ;  H.  F.  Brown,  blessed  by  the 
Sisterhood  of  Bethany  ;  Clinton  Morrison,  S.  W.  Farnham, 
W.  D.  Hale,  John  Edwards,  E.  W.  Herrick,  C.  L.  Bushnell, 
N.  R.  Thompson,  H.  H.  Kimball,  Elisha  Morse,  John  Crosby, 
and  J.  W.  Pence,  are  all  prominent  in  the  councils  of  the 
church." 


THE  CHURCH  OF   THE  REDEEMER        127 

debt."  The  payment  of  this  debt  was  accom- 
plished within  the  next  few  months.  November 
28,  of  the  same  year,  he  writes :  "  Everything 
moves  along  in  much  the  same  way.  The  city 
grows,  of  course,  and  so  does  our  society.  New 
faces  appear  in  church  nearly  every  Sunday,  and 
now  and  then  an  old  one  disappears.  On  the 
whole,  the  society  seems  in  a  fairly  prosperous 
way.  You  must  have  heard  of  our  good  fortune 
in  getting  the  debt  out  of  the  way.  Two  years 
ago  we  owed  nearly  $17,000.  The  ladies  paid 
$2,000,  leaving  $15,000.  A  few  weeks  ago,  a  sub- 
scription paj^er  was  started  and  the  whole  was 
raised.  So  we  are  now  practically  out  of  debt. 
This  fact  relieves  us  all  from  a  great  deal  of 
anxiety.  A  debt — a  church  debt  —  is  a  mill- 
stone about  tlie  neck  of  a  church.  It  was  raised 
more  easily  than  I  feared  it  would  be.  We  aU 
feel  grateful.  And  yet  our  ladies  do  not  stop 
working.  They  are  getting  up  a  fair  which  is  to 
come  off  next  week.  They  will  give  dinners  in 
the  church  each  day  for  four  days  ;  entertainments 
in  the  evenings.  I  hope  it  will  be  a  success." 
These  extracts  show  us  that  with  the  close  of  the 
year  1879,  the  new  building  was  free  from  debt 
and  all  the  organizations  of  the  church  and  society, 
as  well  as  the  pastor,  were  hard  at  work.  There 
was  no  opening  for  that  fabled  personage  who 
is  said  to  furnish  "  mischief  for  idle  hands." 


CHAPTER   VIII 

THE    GENERAL   CONVENTION 

Importance  of  the  Event  —  "Woman's  Centenary  Association 
—  Opening  of  the  Convention  —  President's  Address  — 
Occasional  Sermon  —  Sabbath  Worship  —  Influence  of  Sci- 
ence —  New  Questions  —  Report  of  Board  of  Trustees  — 
Dr.  Tuttle  in  California  —  Recollections  of  Starr  King  —  A 
Disciple  of  Otis  Skinner  —  Preaching  at  Riverside  — 
Conclusion. 

This  chapter  brings  us  to  an  event  of  great  in- 
terest and  importance,  not  only  to  the  Church  of 
the  Redeemer,  but  to  the  entire  denomination. 
*'  Our  General  Convention  is  drawing  near,"  writes 
Dr.  Tuttle,  September  9,  1879 :  "  I  am  busy  pre- 
paring for  it."  One  month  later,  an  item  in  the 
Minneapolis  Tribune  announces  :  "  Preparations 
for  the  United  States  Convention  of  Universalists 
are  rapidly  assuming  definite  form,  under  the  man- 
agement of  Rev.  J.  H.  Tuttle,  and  a  most  interests 
ing  session  is  confidently  looked  forward  to. 
Doubtless,  over  two  hundred  delegates  will  be 
present,  nearly  all  of  them  strangers  to  this  city 
and  to  the  Northwest.  The  denomination  has 
never  held  a  Convention  west  of  Chicago." 

128 


THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION  129 

The  importance  of  this  event  to  the  church  at 
large,  lay  in  tlie  fact  that  many  Univeraalists  from 
the  older  centers  of  the  liberal  faith  would  discover 
how  much  had  been  done,  of  which  they  had  never 
even  dreamed,  here  on  the  frontier,  —  as  it  was 
denominationally  at  that  time.  Here  a  temple  had 
been  reared,  as  grand  as  any  that  the  whole  church 
could  then  boast,  and  a  congregation  had  been 
gathered,  the  equal  in  wealth  and  culture  of  any 
that  met  in  Eastern  cities.  It  was  no  wonder  that 
one  of  the  leading  delegates,  a  prominent  educator, 
exclaimed,  after  he  had  seen  what  had  been  ac- 
complished :  "  I  believe  that  the  distinguished 
pastor  of  this  church  has  been  a  missionary,  ap- 
proved by  God  and  the  world,  in  this  city,  and  the 
monument  which  he  has  erected  here  will  redound, 
not  only  to  liis  glory,  but  to  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  progress  and  power  of  the  Universalist 
Church." 

woman's  centenary  association 
The  meetings  of  the  Convention  were  preceded 
(October  20)  by  the  sessions  of  the  Woman's 
Centenary  Association,  —  then  but  a  few  years 
organized,  but  showing  an  excellent  record  of 
work,  in  the  way  of  aid  given  to  mission  fields 
and  literature  distributed.  The  reporter  naively 
says,  "  The  gentlemen  present  hung  attentively 
upon  the  outskirts  of  the  meeting." 


130  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 


OPENING    OF   THE   CONVENTION 

The  delegates  and  visitors  from  abroad  alto- 
gether numbered  about  four  hundred.  In  that 
assembly  were  many  of  the  leaders  of  the  denom- 
ination who  were  then  in  their  prime,  but  who 
have  since  passed  away.  Among  them  were  Dr. 
A.  A.  Miner,  of  Boston,  who  had  preached  the 
dedication  sermon  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer ; 
Dr.  W.  H.  Ryder,  the  eminent  pastor  of  St.  Paul's 
Church,  Chicago ;  Dr.  E.  H.  Capen,  President  of 
Tufts  College,  and  Dr.  J.  W.  Hanson,  the  scholarly 
defender  of  the  faith ;  while  in  the  ranks  of  the 
laymen  were  such  men  as  Hon.  Israel  Washburn, 
of  Maine ;  John  D.  W.  Joy,  and  Charles  Caverly, 
of  Massachusetts ;  Henry  B.  Metcalf,  of  Rhode 
Island ;  James  H.  Swan,  of  Illinois,  and  Russell 
Blakely,  of  Minnesota.  All  these,  together  with 
Dr.  Tuttle  himself,  have  entered  the  gates  of  im- 
mortality, in  the  quarter  of  a  century  that  has 
elapsed  since  the  National  Convention  met  in  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer. 

THE   PKESIDENT's   ADDRESS 

Hon.  Israel  Washburn,  of  Maine,  was  elected 
president,  and  Rev.  G.  L.  Demarest,  of  New 
Hampshire,  secretary.  Dr.  Tuttle  welcomed  the 
delegates,  and   he  and  Dr.  Deere,  of  Minnesota, 


THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION  131 

administered  the  communion.  President  Wash- 
burn said  that,  "  nine  years  ago,  the  Universalist 
Church  celebrated  its  one  hundredth  anniversary  at 
Gloucester,  Massachusetts  ;  and  when  one  reflected 
that  the  great  Annual  Convention  of  this  church 
was  now  being  held  on  a  spot  fifteen  hundred  miles 
from  Gloucester,  in  a  country  scarcely  known  in 
1770,  and  in  a  city  larger  than  New  York  or  Bos- 
ton then  was,  one  could  only  be  impressed  with 
the  marvelous  growth  of  this  country  and  this 
churcli,"  He  touched  upon  the  progress  of  the 
church  through  the  past  years,  and  upon  the  creed 
itself  and  its  claims,  saying  that  "  the  faith  which 
teaches  by  example,  which  instructs  by  deeds,  is 
the  only  final  and  living  faith,  whose  conquests  in- 
flict no  pangfs  and  leave  no  regrets ;  and  such  was 
the  victory  for  which  this  church  must  contend." 

THE   OCCASIONAL   SERMON 

The  occasional  sermon  was  delivered  by  Rev.  A. 
J.  Patterson,  of  Massachusetts,  from  the  text,  as 
reported  by  the  Minneapolis  papers,  in  I  Cor. 
i,  26 :  "  Behold  your  calling,  brethren."  The 
sermon  was  extremely  appropriate.  It  showed 
to  what  Christians  are  called  ;  to  a  life  of  purity 
and  unselfishness,  and  labor  for  the  right  and  the 
truth  ;  and  the  means  by  which  that  calling  might 
be  made  sure.  Among  those  means,  he  empha- 
sized a  right  use  of  the  church  and  its  ministra- 


132  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

tions.     Many  of  his  remarks  are  just  as  pertinent 
to-day,  as  they  were  twenty-five  years  ago. 

There  are  too  many  who  live  in  isolation,  branches  cut 
off  and  withered.  There  are  those  who  hang  upon  the  rim 
of  the  church,  who  send  their  children  to  Sunday-school, 
who  look  to  the  church  for  consolation  in  bereavement,  but 
who  lend  no  assistance,  or  means,  or  influence.  Others, 
again,  contribute  of  their  means,  but  are  not  willing  to  en- 
ter into  the  service.  They  live  like  beggars  at  the  gate, 
receiving  such  crumbs  as  fall  to  them,  when  they  might  go 
in  and  sit  with  Christ  at  the  table.  The  church  should  be 
magnified,  and  given  some  such  place  in  the  mind  as  it 
held  in  the  minds  of  the  apostles.  Men  who  believe  should 
come  into  fellowship;  their  faith  should  be  so  real  and 
vital  that  they  could  not  neglect  the  sacred  calling. 

SABBATH   WORSHIP 

In  the  course  of  his  sermon,  Dr.  Patterson  made 
an  estimate  that  ought  to  set  the  present  generation 
thinking,  when  so  many  give  such  slight  attention 
to  the  subject  of  church  attendance. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  man,  in  health,  to  devote  some  part 
of  the  sacred  day  to  the  service  of  the  sanctuary,  and  it  is 
not  an  extravagant  portion  of  time  that  God  requires. 
The  saint  of  God  who  should  reach  the  great  age  of  one 
hundred  and  twelve,  having  attended  but  one  service 
every  Sabbath,  would  have  spent  but  one  year  of  his  long 
life  in  the  house  of  God. 


THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION  133 


INFLUENCE   OF   SCIENCE 

The  preacher,  in  that  broad  and  progressive 
spirit  which  had  characterized  his  whole  lionored 
career,  recognized  the  influence,  even  at  that  time, 
of  scientific  investigation  upon  theology.  He 
says  : 

In  our  own  country,  people  are  losing  faith  in  the  old 
beliefs.  Science  and  the  central  doctrines  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Church  can  never  go  hand-in-hand.  The  old-time  in- 
terpretations of  the  Bible  are  in  conflict  with  the  revelations 
of  science  in  earth  and  air,  sea  and  sky.  Amid  all  this 
conflict  of  opinion,  between  science  and  superstition,  our 
church  has  stood  unmoved.  We  have  believed  certainly, 
that  no  foundation-stone  would  be  shaken  by  scientific 
investigation.  Our  faith  has  shone  clear  and  bright,  with 
each  new  ray  of  light  that  science  and  progress  have 
flashed  upon  it.  The  Bible,  as  we  interpret  it,  has  not  suf- 
fered. A  church  which  has  such  a  faith,  and  such  a  sys- 
tem of  interpretation,  is  evidently  called,  in  the  Pro\ndence 
of  God,  to  stand  between  superstition  on  the  one  hand  and 
skepticism  on  the  other,  and  save  men  from  each  evil  tend- 
ency, by  uniting  them  in  a  calm,  reverent,  rational,  and 
living  faith  in  God.  This  the  Universalist  Church  will 
do,  if  it  is  true  to  its  high  calling. 

It  is  still  the  duty  of  the  Universalist  Church 
to  stand  between  the  extremes  of  superstition  and 
skepticism.  New  forms  of  both  are  coming  into 
existence  nearly  every  day.  Nothing  is  more 
needed  than  the  proclamation  of  a  "  rational  and 
living  faith  in  God."     It  needs  to  be  shown  that  a 


134  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

faith  in  God  may  be  "  living "  and,  at  the  same 
time,  "  rational." 

NEW   QUESTIONS 

The  meeting  of  the  Convention  at  Minneapolis 
is  interesting  on  account  of  two  questions  which 
eeem  to  have  been  brought  forward  for  the  first 
time :  ^  the  proposition  to  set  aside  one  Sunday  in 
the  year,  the  first  Sunday  in  November,  to  be  known 
as  "  All  Souls'  Day,"  on  which  a  sermon  should  be 
preached  in  every  church  upon  some  phase  of  the 
distinctive  faith  of  Universahsts,and  the  proposition 
to  revise  the  creed.  Upon  this  latter  subject,  ob- 
jection was  made  to  retaining  the  expression  "  restore 
the  whole  family  of  mankind  to  holiness  and  hap- 
piness." It  was  argued  that  the  word  "  restore  " 
implied  the  old  doctrine  of  the  "fall  of  the  race," 
which  Universahsts  reject,  and  it  was  proposed  to 
substitute  for  the  word  "  restore,"  the  word 
"  bring."  Both  resolutions  were  postponed.  Sub- 
sequently "  All  Souls'  Day  "  was  estabhshed,  and 
the  creed  discussion  which  started  in  Minneapolis, 
in  1879,  finally  culminated  in  the  new  statement 
of  principles  adopted  at  Boston  in  1899. 

•  The  writer  has  no  information  at  hand  which  shows 
whether  these  questions  came  up  earlier,  or  not. 


THE  GENERAL  C().\VE.\TIO.\  135 

REPORT  OF  BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES 

The  Report  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  concludes 
that  the  church  has  continued  to  yearly  advance 
in  teniporal  things ;  that  the  financial  status  has 
improved  by  the  payment  of  debts,  both  local  and 
general,  and  that  the  sense  of  unity  among  Uni- 
versalists  grows  perceptibly  each  year. 

The  sum  of  the  whole  matter,  therefore,  is,  that  on 
either  hand  we  tind  ourselves  at  the  close  of  another  year 
better  fortified  and  established  than  ever  before.  The 
necessary  outward  things,  which  affect  our  relations  with 
the  world,  are  acquiring  both  solidity  and  due  form,  while 
within  the  body,  grows  apace  that  conscious,  voluntary 
union  with  the  True  Vine,  without  which  we  can  do  noth- 
ing. And  all  this  seems  to  define  more  clearly  the  true 
position  and  work  of  Universalism.  We  find,  each  year, 
less  and  less  need  to  stand  for  the  great  truth  which  gave 
us  our  name,  because  the  fullness  of  time  seems  to  come  for 
that  truth  to  assert  itself  in  all  churches. 

Thus  closed  a  Convention  whose  delegates  car- 
ried back  to  the  East  the  story  of  what  God  had 
wrought  in  the  Northwest,  and  whose  zeal  and  en- 
thusiasm gave  a  new  impetus  to  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer  and  its  devoted  pastor. 

DR.    TUTTLE    IN    CALIFORNIA 

The  records  of  the  Society  show  that,  "  by  vot« 
of  the  trustees,  the  pastor,  J.  H.  Tuttle,  was 
granted  leave  of  absence  for  six  months  from 
October  1,  1880,  during  which  time  the  pulpit  was 


136  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

supplied  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Deere."  It  is  not  stated, 
in  the  minutes,  where  Dr.  Tuttle  was  to  spend 
these  six  months,  but  from  other  sources  we  learn 
that  he  made  a  journey  to  California.  Although 
he  went  for  rest,  he  soon  became  active  in  the 
matters  that  were  nearest  his  heart,  and  important 
results  followed.  While  there  were  many  scat- 
tered Universalists  and  other  hberal  people  through- 
out the  state,  little  had  been  done  in  the  way  of 
organization,  and  what  had  been  done  had  suffered 
from  neglect.  "  In  1861,"  says  Dr.  Eddy,  «  the 
prospects  were  highly  flattering,  but  soon  the  agi- 
tated state  of  the  country  demanded  untiring 
exertions  to  keep  the  people  of  the  Pacific  slope 
loyal  to  the  Union,  and  the  religious  enterprises 
then  necessarily  abandoned  were  never  vigorously 
prosecuted  when  the  war  was  ended."  As  an  ex- 
ample of  what  he  found,  Dr.  Tuttle  refers  to  Santa 
Cruz,  "  a  pleasant,  thrifty-appearing  town,  having 
in  it  a  good  sprinkhng  of  refined,  intelligent  people, 
notwithstanding  its  Spanish  name.  It  is,  in  summer, 
a  noted  sea-bathing  place.  Rev.  Charles  G.  Ames, 
the  well-known  Unitarian  preacher,  late  editor  of 
the  Christian  Register,  was  pastor  of  a  society  here 
once,  and  at  San  Jose  also.  His  name  is  cherished 
in  both  places,  but  his  congregations  have  not  been 
kept  up.  The  liberal  forces,  wherever  they  may 
have  been,  are  seriously  disorganized  and  scattered 
at  present." 


THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION  137 


RECOLLECTIONS    OF     STARR    KING 

There  was  one  notable  exception  to  the  con- 
dition just  described,  the  Unitarian  Church  in 
San  Francisco,  made  famous  by  the  ministry  of 
Thomas  Starr  King.  At  this  time,  it  was  in  charge 
of  the  able  and  scholarly  Dr.  Stebbins.  Dr.  Tuttle 
had  known,  in  early  life,  the  brilliant  preacher, whose 
name  will  always  be  cherished  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
It  is  a  matter  of  interest  that  they  were  born  in  the 
same  state  and  in  the  same  year.  Starr  King  was 
the  son  of  a  Universalist  minister,  and  had  started 
out  as  a  Universalist  minister  himself,  lea\'ing  the 
denomination  later  for  the  Unitarians.  "  Great 
men,  like  Starr  King,"  says  Dr.  Tuttle,  "  in  their 
abundant,  inexhaustible  natures,  afford  proprietor- 
ship for  more  than  one  sect,  often  for  all  the  sects ; 
hence,  it  would,  possibly,  be  a  proof  of  our  unworthi- 
ness  to  hold  a  share  in  his  memory,  if  we  Univer- 
saUsts,  among  whom  he  had  his  birthright,  were 
envious  of  the  amazing  luster  his  later  achievements 
shed  on  others."  Dr.  Tuttle  then  speaks  of  the 
efforts  of  Starr  King  in  behalf  of  the  Union,  at  the 
opening  of  the  Civil  War.  Among  the  states 
threatening  to  abandon  the  Union,  as  just  suggested, 
was  California,  "  then  proudly  riding  along  on  the 
high  wave  of  prosperity,  arrogant  of  her  fabulous 
mines,  and  impatient  of  those  moral  restraints  and 
attachments  to  freedom  characterizing  the  northeni 


138  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

and  eastern  portions  of  the  country.  No  sooner 
were  these  dangerous  symptoms  of  rebellion  shown 
than  Starr  King's  voice  .  .  .  was  heard  all  along  the 
coast  in  tones  as  clear,  and  mighty,  and  patriotic, 
as  Independence  Bell,  sounding  the  alarm,  and  call- 
ing the  people  back  to  dutiful  allegiance  to  the 
Government.  General  Scott  is  reported  to 
have  said,  '  California  was  saved  to  the  Union  by  a 
young  clergyman  on  the  coast,  by  the  name  of 
King.'  Who  would  leave  a  greater  glory  behind 
him  than  that?  Natural  enough  it  was,  therefore, 
that  a  Government  telegram  from  Washington 
ordered  the  firing  of  guns  at  his  funeral."  Dr. 
Tuttle  closes  his  remarks  on  this  great  man  and  his 
work,  with  a  personal  incident : 

The  last  time  I  ever  saw  Starr  King  was  at  my  own 
door,  at  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  after  he  had  given  that 
wonderful  lecture  on  "  Facts  and  Forces  vs.  Substance 
and  Show,"  in  Fulton,  N.Y.,  where,  in  a  frosty  winter 
atmosphere,  when  Mrs.  Tuttle  had  served  him  with  a 
warm  lunch,  prepared  a  hot  board  for  his  feet  and  assisted 
him  to  wrap  his  lithe,  but  not  robust,  form  in  a  thick  coat 
and  furs,  he  stepped  into  a  sleigh  and  rode  off  into  the  dark- 
ness toward  Syracuse,  twentj^-five  miles  distant,  to  meet 
the  New  York  Central  train  to  be  conveyed  to  his  appoint- 
ment for  the  next  night,  in  some  city  further  west. 

A   DISCIPLE   OF   OTIS    SKINNER 

Among  the  scattered  and  isolated  Universalists 
whom   Dr.    Tuttle  found  in   California,  was    one 


THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION  139 

whom  he  discovered  through  a  letter  of  introduc- 
tion. He  tells  the  story  in  his  own  inimitable 
way: 

In  glancing  over  this  letter,  lie  (the  Californian)  dis- 
covered the  character  of  my  profession,  when,  looking  up 
to  me,  he  gave  me  a  smile  so  full  of  sympathy  and  wel- 
come, I  shall  never  forget  it.  His  heart  ran  over  into  his 
eyes  and  countenance,  and,  grasping  me  by  the  hand,  he 
exclaimed,  in  the  sincerest  manner,  "  I  am  glad  to  see  you  ; 
I,  too,  am  a  believer  in  that  faith,  but  I  have  not  heard  a 
sermon  of  that  faith  in  years.  I  used  to  know  and  hear 
Rev.  Otis  A.  Skinner ;  was  a  member  of  his  congregation 
in  Boston."  At  the  mention  of  that  whilom  friend,  that 
noblest,  most  amiable,  most  affable  of  men,  that  rarest  of 
pastors,  and  most  winning  and  instructive  of  preachers,  I 
begged  the  privilege  of  shaking  his  hand  again,  feeling 
that  my  turn  had  come  for  showing  enthusiasm.  "  Ah," 
said  he,  "  I  wept  when  I  heard  of  Bro.  Skinner's 
death  "  "Yes,"  I  replied,  "we  all  wept;  the  denomina- 
tion wept."  To  hear  Dr.  Skinner's  name  mentioned  here, 
under  such  circumstances,  so  far  from  home,  in  these  quiet 
woods,  and  by  one  who  loved  him,  knew  his  worth,  his 
goodness,  and  sincerely  cherished  his  memory,  filled  me 
with  feelings  T  cannot  describe.  What  a  remarkable 
person  he  was  !  remarkable  for  his  striking  presence,  his 
commanding  form,  his  social  power,  his  organizing  ability, 
his  influence  over  the  young,  and  may  I  not  add,  in  his 
clear,  logical  teaching  of  gospel  truth  ?  I  had  come  to  see 
the  big  trees,  but  it  seemed  to  me  almost  that  I  had  met 
a  spirit  here,  that  I  had  felt  another  hand  in  the  one  I  had 
shaken ;  and  that  the  peace  and  joy  shed  on  me  through 
the  sylvan  vaults  above,  came  from  unseen  heights  beyond. 


140  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


PREACHING   AT    RIVERSIDE 

When  it  became  known  that  so  prominent  a 
Universalist  minister  as  Dr.  Tuttle  was  visiting 
California,  there  were  many  demands  for  preach- 
ing, wherever  a  few  Universalists  could  be  brought 
together.  Doubtless,  had  the  time  and  strength 
been  at  his  disposal,  he  could  have  dotted  the 
state  with  Universalist  societies.  As  it  was,  he 
rekindled  in  many  hearts  the  waning  fires  of  devo- 
tion to  the  faith,  and  left  behind  an  influence 
which  took  shape  in  permanent  organizations. 
Notably  was  this  the  case  at  Riverside.  Hearing 
that  Dr.  Tuttle  was  at  Los  Angeles,  an  old  parish- 
ioner, William  Finch  (who  is  still  living,  at  the  age 
of  eighty),  drove  the  distance  of  sixty  miles,  and 
"  brought  Dr.  Tuttle  down  in  his  wagon,  that  he 
might  kindle  the  hght  in  the  then  small  village." 
Large  congregations  assembled,  some  Universalist 
families  were  discovered ;  and  the  outlook  seemed 
favorable  for  a  church,  if  a  minister  could  be  se- 
cured. At  that  time,  there  was  no  settled  Uni- 
versalist minister  in  the  state.  Dr.  Tuttle  carried 
the  matter  upon  his  heart,  and  after  his  return  to 
Minnesota,  told  the  story  of  Riverside  to  Dr. 
George  H.  Deere,  who  had  supplied  the  pulpit  of 
the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  during  his  absence. 
«  This  devoted  servant  of  our  church,"  says  Rev. 


THE  GENERAL  CONVENTION  141 

H.  E.  Benton,'  "  ever  filled  with  the  missionary 
spirit,  felt  in  his  heart  this  Macedonian  call,  and  at 
once  volunteered  to  go  to  this  far-away  company 
and  to  be  a  solitary  worker  in  a  great  state,  for 
then  no  other  Universalist  minister  was  in  this 
great  state,  which  is  second  only  to  Texas  in 
size."  The  story  of  the  years  which  follow,  dur- 
ing which  Dr.  Deere,  from  a  handful  of  people 
worshiping  in  a  hall,  built  up  a  large  congrega- 
tion, with  a  stone  structure  costing  $25,000,  is  full 
of  heroic  struggles  and  triumphs,  but  does  not 
come  within  the  scope  of  these  pages.  It  is  fitting, 
however,  to  record  that  when  the  herculean  effort 
was  made  to  raise  the  last  $7,000  that  would  free 
the  church  from  debt,  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer 
contributed  $1,500.  It  is  also  worthy  of  note, 
that  Dr.  Goff,  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church 
at  Riverside,  a  man  of  large  heart  and  generous 
spirit,  raised  among  his  own  people,  $1,000  to 
help  Dr.  Deere  and  the  Universalist  Church. 
Such  examples  of  brotherly  kindness,  taking  this 
particular  form,  are  so  rare  that  this  one  deserves 
to  be  heralded  to  the  world.  Nor  must  the  noble 
wife  of  Dr.  Deere  be  forgotten.  Perhaps  her  own 
high  faith  and  courage  were  the  mainspring  and 
inspiration,  —  particularly  in  the  days  of  financial 
stress  and  strain.  She  shares  with  her  husband 
the  laurels  of  Riverside. 

'  Present  pastor  at  Riverside. 


142  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 


CONCLXJSIOl^ 

Thus  it  came  to  pass  that,  if  Dr.  Tuttle  was  not 
the  first  one  to  preach  Universalism  in  California, 
he  prophesied  to  the  dry  bones,  and  brought  them 
to  resurrection.  The  modern  movement  in  that 
state  dates  from  his  visit  in  the  winter  of  1880-81. 


CHAPTER   IX 

A  PERIOD   OF   EXPANSION:    THE   SECOND,    OR   ALL 
SOULS',  CHURCH 

First  Universalist  Society  in  Minnesota  —  Two  Important  Res- 
olutions —  Founding  of  the  Second  Cliurch  —  Rev.  L.  D. 
Boynton  —  Dedication  of  the  Second,  or  All  Souls',  Church 
—  Subsequent  History  —  Twentieth  Anniversary  —  Letter 
to  Mrs.  Alcott. 

The  first  Universalist  Society  in  Minnesota  was 
that  of  St.  Anthony,  which  was  organized  about 
the  close  of  1855  with  some  fifty  members.  Even 
before  this,  there  had  been  preaching  in  St.  An- 
thony by  Universalist  ministers.  The  place  of 
meeting  was  Central  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Cen- 
tral avenue  and  Main  street.  This  hall  was  in 
the  "  third  story  of  a  wooden  building,  low,  small, 
and  associated  in  the  minds  of  people  with  exhibi- 
tions, political  meetings,  and  every  kind  of  show 
that  travels."  Rev.  Seth  Barnes,  who  came  to  St. 
Anthony  in  June,  1855,  was  the  first  settled  pastor. 
He  has  been  called  the  Apostle  of  Universalism  in 
Minnesota.  He  remained  in  charge  until  1866, 
except  for  two  years,  during  which  he  was  disabled 
by  ill  health.  In  that  interval.  Rev.  W.  W.  King 
served  as  pastor.  Mr.  Barnes  died  suddenly 
August    12,    1866.     Other   ministers    were    Rev. 

143 


144  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

David  Clark,  Rev.  Herman  Bisbee,  and  Rev.  W. 
H.  H.  Harrington.  In  1857  the  Society  built  a 
stone  church  on  Prince  street,  overlooking  the 
Falls.  The  vestry  was  used  for  religious  services 
in  the  autumn  of  that  year.  The  cost  of  the  build- 
ing, when  completed,  was  $20,000.  It  was  consid- 
ered, at  that  time,  the  best  church  building  in 
Minnesota.  In  1869  the  Society  was  disbanded 
and  never  reorganized.  The  building  and  lot 
were  sold  to  the  French  Catholics,  who  have  en- 
larged the  building,  and  are  still  using  it. 

TWO   IMPORTANT   EESOLUTIONS 

In  the  meantime,  while  the  Society  in  St.  An- 
thony was  going  to  pieces,  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer  was  building  up  rapidly,  as  we  have 
seen,  upon  the  West  side.  So  prosperous  had 
this  Society  grown,  so  wide  was  the  influence  it 
exerted,  that  to  Dr.  Tuttle  and  many  others,  it 
seemed  that  the  time  had  come  for  planting  other 
churches  in  other  parts  of  the  city.  The  impulse 
of  expansion  is  shown  in  the  two  following  resolu- 
tions passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
held  in  the  office  of  Dorilus  Morrison,  May  2, 
1882: 

(I) 

Whereas,  Mr.  O.  A.  Pray,  acting  in  behalf  of  this 
Society,  has  purchased  a  lot  of  the  heirs  of  the  late  Judge 
F.  R.  E.  Cornell ;  said  lot  situated  at  the  corner  of  Frank- 


.4   PERIOD  OF  EXPANSION  145 

lin  St.  and  15th  Ave.  So.,  —  on  which  to  erect  a  Universal- 
iflt  Church ; 

Unsolved,  That  we  affirm  Mr.  Fray's  act,  and  accept  of 
the  lot,  and  tliat  a  deed  of  the  same  be  secured  made  to 
tJie  Trustees  of  the  First  Universalist  Society  of  Minneapo- 
lis ;  and  that  same  be  placed  on  record. 

Whereas,  Mr.  John  Dudley  and  his  wife  Hannah  Dudley 
of  Minneapolis  (E.D.)  have  deeded  to  this  Society  a  cer- 
tain lot  on  Como  Ave.,  (E.D.,)  and  have  executed  and  de- 
livered to  us  a  deed  of  the  same,  in  trust  for  the  purpose  of 
ertvting  on  said  lot  a  Universalist  Church  on  condition  — 
(here  the  conditions  are  stated  :) 

Jiesolved,  That  we  accept  of  this  property  on  the  terms 
antl  conditions  described  in  the  deed ; 

liesoh'ed.  That  we  proceed  at  once,  or  as  soon  as  prac- 
ticable, to  erect  a  church  on  the  above  lot. 

The  rest  of  the  i-esolutions  are  concerned  with 
matters  of  detail.  The  far-reaching  consequences 
of  this  step  cannot  even  now  be  estimated.  To 
say  nothing  of  the  work  accomplished  by  the  two 
churches,  that  were  the  outcome  of  those  resolu- 
tions, it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer would  not  be  so  strong  as  it  is  to-day,  had 
its  members  and  supporters  shut  up  themselves 
and  their  resources  within  their  own  walls. 
"  There  is  that  scattereth  abroad,  and  yet  increas- 
eth  •,  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet, 
and  it  tendeth  to  poverty."     Nowhere  is  the  veri- 


146  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

fication  of  this  proverb  more  clearly  seen  than  in 
the  history  of  churches.  The  church  that  lives 
only  for  itself  is  doomed ;  and  the  day  of  its  death 
cannot  be  long  postponed. 

FOUNDING    OF    THE    SECOND    CHURCH 

As  the  disbanding  of  the  original  church  on  the 
East  side  (as  St.  Anthony  had  now  become)  had 
left  a  large  number  of  scattered  Universalist 
families  in  that  part  of  the  city,  many  of  whom 
were  families  of  prominence,  it  was  determined  to 
make  the  first  attempt  to  establish  a  new  church 
upon  the  old  ground.  For  this  purpose,  the  lot 
given  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Dudley  was  used  as 
the  site  of  the  new  church  building  which  Dr. 
Tuttle  proposed  to  begin  at  once.  With  character- 
istic resolution  he  went  to  work ;  but  the  burden 
of  conducting  his  own  large  and  growing  parish, 
while  establishing  a  new  one,  proved  too  great,  and 
the  following  letter,  dated  April  24,  1883,  was  sent 
to  his  Board  of  Trustees  : 

Dear  Brethren  :  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  calls 
upon  me  for  labor  in  one  form  and  another,  in  the  Society 
and  out  of  it,  are  constantly  increasing,  and  are  likely,  more 
and  more,  to  exceed  my  strength  and  means  of  answering 
them ;  in  view,  also,  of  the  fact  that  my  work  is  particularly 
augmented  by  the  attempt  of  the  parish  to  establish 
another  church  in  another  part  of  the  city,  I  respectfully 
suggest  to  you,  and  ask  you  to  consider,  the  propriety  and 


A   PERIOD  OF  EXPANSION  147 

practicability  of  providing  an  assistant  or  colleague ;  some 
person  who  shall  share  with  nie  the  responsibilities  of  the 
pulpit  and  my  other  pastoral  duties. 

J.  II.  TUTTLE. 

A  meeting  of  the  trustees  was  called  at  once,  at 
which,  after  discussing  Dr.  Tuttle's  communication, 
on  motion  of  O.  A.  Pray,  it  was  resolved,  "  that 
Dr.  Tuttle  should  correspond  with  such  clergymen 
as  he  might  deem  advisable,  and  arrange  a  series  of 
exchanges  to  give  the  Society  an  opportunity  to 
hear  candidates." 

REV.  L.    D.  BOYNTON 

As  a  result  of  this  action,  the  choice  of  Dr. 
Tuttle  and  of  the  Society  fell  upon  Rev.  L.  D. 
Boynton,  pastor  of  a  flourishing  church  at  Elgin, 
111.  This  choice  was  confirmed,  at  a  meeting  of  the 
trustees,  Nov.  13,  1883  ;  and  Mr.  Boynton  began 
his  work  the  first  of  the  following  December.  The 
Society  felt  that  he  was  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place.  He  had  shown  his  administrative  ability  in 
building  up  the  church  at  Elgin  ;  he  was  a  born 
preacher  and  pastor,  and  a  man  of  eminent  social 
qualities.  He  proved  to  be  just  the  assistant  that 
Dr.  Tuttle  needed  in  carrying  on  the  work  he  had 
undertaken.  Ill  health  compelled  his  resignation, 
after  a  few  years,  much  to  the  regret  of  all  con- 
cerned. After  some  time  spent  in  other  work,  he 
became  pastor  of  the  church  at  Rochester,  INIinne- 


148  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

sota,  where  he  remained,  much  beloved,  until 
failing  health  again  drove  him  from  the  pulpit. 
After  another  period  of  secular  business,  Mr.  Boyn- 
ton,  once  more  happily  restored  to  health,  is  now 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Bristol,  New  York.  In 
response  to  a  request  from  the  writer,  he  has  kindly 
furnished  the  following  account  of  his  connection 
with  Dr.  Tuttle  in  building  the  Second,  or,  as  it  is 
now  called,  "  All  Souls'  "  Church : 

The  hour  had  struck,  wlien  organized  Universalism  in 
Minneajjolis  must  take  a  forward  step.  It  was  Dr. 
Tuttle's  alert  ear  that  lirst  heard  the  striking  of  that  hour. 
All  Souls'  Church  had  its  birth  in  his  conviction  that  there 
should  be  a  Second  Universalist  Church  in  the  community. 
It  was  not  an  easy  task  to  develop  that  conviction  into  the 
substantial  reality  which  he  did.  The  families  on  the  East 
side,  who  had  been  identified  with  the  old  First  Church, 
remembering  its  failure,  manifested  little  faith  in  the  pro- 
posed attempt  to  build  a  Second  Church  in  their  midst. 
Some  opposition  developed  also  among  the  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer.  Certain  persons  urged  that  "  one 
strong  church  "  would  serve  the  public  and  the  denomination 
better  than  two  or  more  weak  ones.  Dr.  Tuttle  had  to  meet 
and  overcome  all  this.  It  required  great  patience,  persist- 
ence, and  tact.  Then  the  money  needful  for  the  ncAV  enter- 
prise must  be  provided.  This  burden  fell  entirely  upon 
his  shoulders.  There  was  no  one  to  divide  the  task  with 
him.  He  raised  it  all  by  personal  solicitation,  principally 
among  the  members  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer ;  not 
a  little  of  the  required  amount  was  supplied  from  his  own 
pocket,  but  so  quietly  and  unostentatiously  that  I  doubt  if 
any  one  ever  realized  how  large  the  sum  was.     He  after- 


A   PERIOD  OF  EXPANSION  149 

wards  referred  to  those  days  as  ' '  among  the  busiest  and 
most  anxious "  of  his  entire  ministry,  and  we  can  readily 
believe  them  to  have  been  such.  The  new  chui'ch  was 
nearly  completed  when  I  entered  upon  my  work  as  his 
assistant.  A  few  months  later  we  dedicated  it.  It  was  not 
large,  but  most  convenient  in  its  ari'angement,  and  exceed- 
ingly artistic  in  style  and  finish.  I  renieml)er  Dr.  Sumner 
Ellis,  of  Chicago,  himself  no  mean  critic,  said  of  it,  "It 
looks  just  like  Dr.  Tuttle."  His  fine  sense  of  the  useful 
and  the  ivsthetic  were  in  e\adence  to  the  simplest  detail.  It 
had  cost  ten  thousand  dollars  ;  was  completely  finished  and 
furnished,  and  entirely  paid  for;  and  practically.  Dr. 
Tuttle  had  done  it  all.     But  for  him,  it  had  not  been. 

DEDICATION     OF     THE     SECOND,     OR     ALL    SOULS', 
CHURCH 

The  great  undertaking  finished  at  last,  the  new 
building  was  ready  for  dedication.  For  the  ac- 
count of  these  exercises  the  writer  is  also  indebted 
to  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Boynton : 

The  dedication  of  All  Souls'  Church  occurred  twenty 
years  ago.  It  was  an  ideal  winter's  day ;  a  bright  sun, 
crisp  air,  and  fine  sleighing.  Nature  had  bestowed  her 
benediction ;  the  people  came  from  both  sides  of  the  river, 
crowding  the  church  to  the  doors.  The  choir  of  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer  furnished  the  music.  Rev.  John 
L.  Scudder,  of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  made  the 
invocation ;  Rev.  Robert  Forbes,  of  the  First  Methodist 
Church,  read  the  Scriptures;  Father  Marvin,  of  St.  Paul, 
offered  the  prayer ;  the  sermon  was  given  by  myself ;  and 
then  Dr.  Tuttle,  in  his  own  inimitable  way,  Avith  his  heart 
in  his  voice,  pronounced  the  solemn  sentence  of  dedication. 


150  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

It  was  really  a  wonderful  occasion.  I  hardly  remember 
another  like  it.  Smiles  and  tears  blended  on  almost  every 
face,  and  you  can  well  understand  how  Dr.  Tuttle  led  in 
both  the  "smiling  and  the  weeping."  After  the  people 
had  been  dismissed  they  lingered ;  none  seemed  willing  to 
go.  All  felt  the  occasion  to  be  prophetic,  and  so  it  proved. 
Services  were  regularly  held  in  the  new  church  morning 
and  evening  thereafter.  Dr.  Tuttle  and  myself  alternated 
in  the  preaching.  1  assumed  the  care  of  the  church,  re- 
maining his  assistant.  I  retained  my  Young  People's 
Class  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  and  we  did  much  of 
our  parish  work  together.  One  afternoon  we  would  spend 
in  calling  upon  the  East  side,  and  another  afternoon  would 
be  similarly  devoted  to  West  side  families.  We  worked 
together.  All  things  were  in  common  (save  the  weddings 
and  funerals).  Everybody  wanted  to  be  married  and 
buried  by  Dr.  Tuttle,  nor  could  I  blame  them,  for  who  so 
happy  at  a  wedding,  and  so  comforting  in  the  presence  of 
death,  as  he ! 

SUBSEQUENT    HISTORY 

As  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  writer  to  give  an 
account  of  All  Souls'  Church,  mainly  as  Dr. 
Tuttle  stood  related  to  it,  the  subsequent  history- 
must  be  very  briefly  and  rapidly  sketched.  On 
June  2,  1884,  the  lots,  on  which  the  building 
stood,  were  deeded  to  the  trustees  of  the  Second 
Society  by  the  trustees  of  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer.     Mr.  Boynton  continues  : 

The  work,  in  connection  with  All  Souls',  grew  beyond 
our  most  sanguine  expectations.  The  audiences  filled  the 
church.     A  fine  Sunday-school  was  gathered,  with  Judge 


A  PERIOD  OF  EXPANSION  151 

N.  H.  Hemiup  as  the  superintendent.  He  was  soon  suc- 
ceeded by  Mrs.  S.  B.  Lovejoy,  who,  during  those  lirst  two 
years,  brought  the  average  attendance  to  a  hundred  or 
more.  The  Society  had  its  Flower  Mission  and  a  Ladies' 
Organization  of  unusual  efficiency.  And  Dr.  Tuttle's 
strong,  tactful,  guiding  hand  could  be  seen,  and  was  felt 
in  it  all. 

Tliis  arrangement  between  Dr.  Tuttle  and  Mr. 
Boynton  went  on  for  about  two  years,  when  Rev. 
L.  E.  (t.  Powers  followed,  and  continued  as  pastor 
until  1889.  During  his  pastorate,  the  original 
church  building  was  enlarged  to  more  than  double 
its  former  size,  with  Sunday-school  rooms  and 
church  parlors,  at  the  cost  of  about  $27,000. 
About  $1,000  of  this  came  from  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer,  while  most  of  the  entire 
sum  was  contributed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Dudley.  A  service  of  rededication  was  held,  at 
which  the  sermon  was  preached  by  E.  L.  Rexford, 
D.D.,  ]\Ir.  Powers  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  W. 
Sample,  of  Chelsea,  Mass.,  and  he  in  turn  by  Rev. 
Howard  MacQueary.  The  present  pastor.  Rev. 
A.  N,  Alcott,  a  scholarly  and  cultivated  man,  has 
served  seven  years,  and  done  faithful  work. 

TWENTIETH    ANNIVERSARY 

In  1903  the  twentieth  anniversary  of  tlie  church 
was  celebrated,  and  one  of  the  most  interesting 
features  of  the  occasion  was  a  telegram  from  Dr. 


152  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

Tuttle,  whose  interest  in  the  church  had  never 
wavered,  but  continued  unabated  to  the  day  of 
his  death.  This  telegram  was  followed  in  a  few 
days  by  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Alcott,  wife  of  the  pastor, 
in  which  that  interest  is  touchingly  expressed : 

New  York,  Nov.  23,  1903. 
Dear  Mrs.  Alcott  :  Your  letter  came  very  quickly, 
but  so  near  the  20th  that  there  was  not  time  for  me  to 
prepare  such  a  paper  as  I  wished  to,  if  any  at  all,  to  be 
read  at  All  Souls'  Church.  Although  stronger,  I  am  far 
from  myself,  my  pen  moves  awkwardly  and  my  mind 
slowly.  I  am  glad  I  was  thought  of  in  connection  with 
your  anniversary,  and  I  should  really  have  been  pleased 
to  join  the  others  in  the  revival  of  reminiscences  regard- 
ing the  building  and  dedication  of  the  church,  but  did  not 
feel  that  I  could,  at  such  short  notice,  put  my  remem- 
brances in  proper  shape.  I  thank  you  most  heartily  for 
the  invitation  to  share  in  what  must  have  been  a  particu- 
larly interesting  occasion.  I  often  think  of  the  struggles 
and  anxieties  I  had  in  getting  the  church  built  and  the 
Society  on  its  feet  again ;  and  the  intense  satisfaction  I  had, 
too,  at  the  responses  made  to  my  appeals,  the  generous 
helps  that  sprang  to  my  side,  and  of  the  splendid  victory 
that  finally  crowned  our  efforts.  The  church  has  since 
had  drawbacks  and  discouragements,  but  has  never  yielded 
to  them,  but  has  risen  again  as  often  as  it  fell,  until  Mr. 
Alcott  became  its  pastor,  when  it  seemed  to  put  forth  a 
permanent  life,  to  regain  and  augment  its  prosperity.  I 
hear,  on  all  sides,  when  I  visit  Minneapolis,  of  Mr. 
Alcott's  success.  I  rejoice  :  the  forces  of  Universalism,  in 
and  about  the  city,  never  had  as  competent  leadership  as 
now ;  the  future  of  our  cause  there,  never  seemed  to  me  so 


A   PERIOD  OF  EXPANSION  153 

encoxiraging.  I  hope  you  uiul  your  husband  see  good 
reasons  for  hope ;  that  you  are  contented  and  happy.  Dr. 
Shutter  is  very  cheerful  over  the  present  aspect  of  things. 
I  wanted  to  visit  you  and  yours  last  summer  and  have  a 
talk  with  you  over  the  history  of  the  church,  but  I  was 
not  able  to  do  so.  .  .  .  Please  give  my  warm  regards  to 
Mr.  Ak'Ott. 

Sincerely  yours, 

J.  H.  TUTTLE. 

Two  weeks  later,  he  had  answered  the  summons, 
"  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou 
into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord." 


CHAPTER   X 

A  CONFERENCE    WITH   DR.   TUTTLE   AND   ITS 
RESULTS 

The  Writer's  Resignation  from  Olivet  Baptist  Church  —  A 
Letter  from  Dr.  Tuttle  —  A  Conference  with  Dr.  Tattle 
—  A  Second  Meeting  with  Dr.  Tuttle  —  First  Sermon  in 
Church  of  the  Redeemer  —  The  Decision  Reached  —  Death 
of  James  C.  Tuttle  —  Tributes  to  James  C.  Tuttle — A  Sign 
of  the  Millennium  —  A  Winter  in  the  South  —  A  Trip  to 
Cuba  —  A  Letter  from  Thomasville  —  Dedication  of  the 
Washburn  Home. 

The  writer  of  this  memoir  has  now  reached  the 
point  where  his  own  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Tuttle 
began;  and  as  the  results  of  that  acquaintance 
have  been  of  some  interest  to  all  parties  con- 
cerned—  giving  to  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer 
first  an  assistant,  and  subsequently  a  pastor  —  it 
may  not  be  inappropriate  to  devote  a  few  pages 
to  the  subject.  Dr.  Tuttle  has  given  his  own 
account  of  this  incident  in  The  Field  and  the 
Fruit;  the  writer  will  supplement  that  account 
with  extracts  from  his  own  diaries  and  private 
letters,  for  the  year  1886.  This  is  the  first  time 
any  of  these  records  have  seen  the  light. 
154 


CONFERENCE   WITH  DR.    TUTTLE         155 
RESIGNATION   AT   THE    OLIVET    BAPTIST    CHURCH 

After  completing  the  new  house  of  worship  for 
the  Olivet  Baptist  Church,  the  writer  resigned 
and  left  the  denomination.  His  views  had  been 
changing  gradually  for  some  time,  but  he  had 
undertaken  a  certain  work  for  his  people,  and 
wished  to  complete  it.  That  work  was  the  build- 
ing of  this  house  of  worship.  His  preaching, 
during  the  last  year,  was  upon  such  practical 
themes  as  would  have  been  appropriate  to  any 
pulpit.  Doctrinal  questions  he  carefully  avoided. 
He  knew  very  little  about  organized  liberalism  in 
the  form  of  either  Unitarianism  or  Universalism. 
He  knew  what  conclusions  he  had  reached  for 
himself,  but  where  they  would  classify  him  —  if 
anywhere  —  he  could  not  tell.  His  impression  was 
that  they  would  come  nearer  Unitarianism  than 
anything  else ;  for  he  had  somehow  gotten  the 
notion  that  Universalism  was  simply  old-fashioned 
orthodoxy,  with  the  exception  of  its  doctrine  of 
human  destiny.  He  supposed  that  Universalism 
stood  for  the  deity  of  Christ,  the  vicarious  sacri- 
fice, and  all  the  associated  dogmas.  The  use  of 
much  of  the  orthodox  phraseology,  in  such  scanty 
Universalist  literature  as  he  then  knew,  may  have 
accounted  largely  for  this  impression  ;  but  he  had 
not  investigated  closely  —  he  was  working  out  his 
own  problem.  He  had,  therefore,  thought  of 
seeking  Unitarian  fellowship.     No  definite  decis- 


156  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

ion,  however,  had  been  reached,  and  he  was 
thinking  of  retiring  from  the  ministry  for  a  while 
and  taking  up  some  other  kind  of  work  to  support 
himself,  until  he  could  be  satisfied  as  to  the  right 
course. 

A   LETTER   FROM    DR.    TUTTLE 

At  this  juncture  came  the  letter  from  Dr. 
Tuttle,  which  is  given  in  the  following  paragraph. 
Dr.  Tuttle  was  well  known  to  the  writer  by  repu- 
tation, but  not  personally.  He  had  met  the 
doctor  on  one  public  occasion,  the  memorial 
service  in  the  University  Coliseum,  at  the  time  of 
the  death  of  General  Grant.  The  meeting  was 
casual,  and  was  followed,  at  the  time,  by  no  further 
acquaintance. 

March  10,  18S 6.  — Kave  received  letters  to-day  from 
Mr.  Boynton,  Dr.  Tuttle,  and  Mr.  Simpson,  of  Duluth. 
The  letter  of  Dr.  Tuttle  is  as  follows  :  ' '  My  dear  Brother  : 
The  amiouncement  of  your  resignation,  the  cause  of  it 
particularly,  makes  me  anxious  to  see  you,  and  to  see  you 
very  soon.  I  was  educated  a  Baptist,  belonged  to  that 
church  once,  and  I  should  like  to  extend  my  sympathies  to 
you  and  to  compare  notes.  If  you  will  allow  me  to  meet 
you,  will  inform  me  when  and  where  I  can  find  you,  I  will 
call.  Or  will  you  be  kind  enough  to  call  on  me?  lam 
home  in  the  morning  almost  always,  and  from  12  to  2  P.M. 
If  you  cannot  come  over,  I  will,  if  convenient  to  you,  go 
and  see  you,  on  Friday  afternoon,  at  2.30  o'clock." 

March  11,  1886.  — Have  promised  Dr.  Tuttle  a  con- 
ference to-morrow  afternoon. 


CONFERENCE   WITH  DR.    TUTTLE         157 
A   CONFERENCE   WITH   DR.    TUTTLE 

The  writer  was  touched  by  the  invitation  of 
Dr.  Tuttle,  who  occupied  the  foremost  position 
among  the  ministers  of  the  city,  whose  praise  was 
upon  the  lips  of  all ;  but  he  had  no  reason  to 
believe  that  the  invitation  meant  more  than  a 
friendly  conversation,  an  expression  of  sympathetic 
interest. 

March  12,  1886.  —  I  went  to  see  Dr.  Tuttle,  and,  after 
a  pleasant  conversation,  he  said  frankly  that  he  meant  soon 
to  retire  from  the  ministry,  that  he  and  his  people  had 
looked  in  vain  East  and  West  for  some  one  to  assist  him 
awhile,  and  then  to  become  his  successor.  His  own  mind, 
and  that  of  his  people,  had  turned  to  me  ;  they  admired  the 
spirit  I  had  shown  in  dealing  with  my  own  people  in  this 
delicate  matter,  and  had  heard  such  good  reports  of  my 
work  and  preaching,  that  he  had  been  led  to  hope  that  I 
might  solve  the  problem.  I  told  him  that  I  was  confident 
I  had  gone  farther  than  he  thought  ;  but  he  yet  begged  me 
to  consider  what  he  had  said  and  see  him  again.  Of  course, 
I  cannot  go  to  the  Universalists.  ...  I  shall  be  as  frank 
with  Dr.  Tuttle  as  I  was  with  my  own  people.  .  .  .  Uni- 
versalism,  as  I  understand  it,  is  simply  orthodoxy,  with 
one  point  in  liberal  thought. 

March  14, 1886.  — To-morrow  morning,  at  10.30, 1  am 
going  to  lay  before  Dr.  Tuttle  convincing  evidence  that  I 
am  not  the  man  for  his  pulpit. 

ANOTHER   MEETING    WITH    DR.    TUTTLE 

There  was  the  usual  number  of  callers  and 
letter-writers  who  had  solemn  warnings  to  give  — 


158  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

all  of  them  honest,  but  not  quite  understanding 
the  case.  They  wanted  to  pluck  the  heretic  "  as 
a  brand  from  the  burning  " ;  and  the  heretic  did 
not  deny  them  the  satisfaction  of  plucking  at  the 
brand  to  their  hearts'  content. 

March  15, 1886.  —  Went  to  my  study  at  8  this  morning. 
My  first  caller  Avas  a  "  brand-plucker,"  who,  in  his  own 
words,  "  had  a  presentiment  that  since  I  had  cut  loose 
from  the  Baptist  Church,  I  was  going  straight  to  the  devil, 
and  he  felt  as  if  he  must  come  and  tell  me."  I  thanked  him 
cordially  for  his  cheerful  message,  but  assured  him  that, 
personally,  I  felt  I  was  bound  for  a  different  destination. 
He  was  a  good,  honest  fellow,  and  his  solicitude  was  gen- 
uine. I  sent  him  away  feeling  better.  .  .  .  Kept  my 
appointment  with  Dr.  Tuttle  at  10.30.  He  is  a  charming 
man.  I  told  him  there  were  two  points  upon  which  I  felt 
certain  we  should  differ :  that  I  rejected  the  infallibility 
of  the  Bible  and  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  which  involved 
the  deity  of  Christ.  I  was  fairly  lifted  out  of  my  chair 
with  astonishment  when  he  said  that  he  did  the  same, 
and  that  his  position,  and  that  of  many,  or  most  of  his 
people,  and  of  Universalists  in  general,  would  be  that  of 
such  Unitarians  as  James  Freeman  Clarke,  Edward 
Everett  Hale,  and  Brooke  Herford.  He  assured  me  that 
Universalists  were  not  Trinitarians  ;  that  they  believed  in 
the  divinity  of  Christ  rather  than  his  deity ;  that  they 
rejected  the  vicarious  sacrifice,  and  did  not  necessarily 
accept  the  literal  accuracy  of  the  Bible.  This,  and  more, 
he  told  me.  He  then  renewed  his  former  suggestion.  I 
replied  that  he  had  put  the  matter  in  a  new  light,  but  that 
I  must  think  it  all  over ;  that  while  I  was  waiting  and 
looking  about,  I  would  preach   for  him  sometimes  if  he 


CONFERENCE  WITH  DR.   TUTTLE  159 

wished,  but  that  we  must  understand  that  such  preaching 
did  not  commit  me.     So  we  left  it  for  the  present. 

March  17,  1^86'.  —  Have  received  the  following  from 
Dr.  Tuttle :  '•  Your  note,  iu  regard  to  Sunday,  was  received. 
You  have  decided  to  preach  forBro.  Simmons  next  Sunday 
morning.  Let  it  be  so.  I  will  give  notice,  according  to 
your  kind  suggestion  and  promise,  that  you  will  preach 
in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  one  week  from  next  Sunday, 
morning  and  evening.  May  the  Good  Father  keep  you  in 
the  new  and  strange  experience.  Shall  we  see  you  at  the 
Conference  meeting  to-morrow  (Thursday)  evening  ?  I 
hope  so." 

March  19,  1886.  —  It  was  very  late  last  night  when  I 
returned  from  Dr.  Tuttle's.  .  .  .  Have  seen  the  March 
North  American.  Edward  Everett  Hale  says,  iu  his 
article,  that  Unitarians  and  Universalists  stand,  nowadays, 
for  the  same  ideas.  .  .  Dr.  Tuttle  thought  that,  holding  my 
views,  I  could  easily  go  to  either  body.  The  dear  Doctor 
is  very  anxious  about  this  matter.  Whatever  the  outcome 
may  be,  I  can  feel  that  I  fearlessly  told  him  all,  in  the 
full  conviction  that  I  should  be  summai'ily  dismissed  at 
the  close  of  the  interview. 

March  22,  1886. — To-morrow,  I  have  another  audi- 
ence with  Dr.  Tuttle. 

March  24,  1886.  — Have  been  at  work  to-day  on  next 
Sunday's  sermons.  ...  I  think,  after  all,  I  ought  to  go  to 
the  Unitarians  rather  than  to  the  Universalists ;  but  Dr. 
Tuttle's  offer  and  his  statement  of  position  have  not  a  little 
perplexed  me.  Before  that,  I  thought  there  was  only  one 
course  open. 

March  25,  1886.  —Made  a  little  talk  at  Dr.  Tuttle's 
Conference  this  evening.     Very  kindly  received.     Sunday 


160  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

morning  I  shall  state  my  position  clearly  and  fully,  so  that 
there  shall  be  no  chance  for  subsequent  misunderstanding. 
Am  to  dine  with  Dr.  Tuttle  and  spend  the  day.  .  .  .  My 
experience  just  now  seems  like  getting  out  of  a  boggy 
meadow  into  the  solid  highway,  only  to  find  myself  at  a 
point  where  two  roads  meet." 

FIRST  SEEMON  IN  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE  REDEEMER 

The  conversations  already  held  witli  Dr.  Tuttle, 
and  the  fact  that  the  writer  was  being  canvassed  as 
a  possible  assistant,  made  it  almost  imperative 
that  the  sermon  to  be  preached  in  the  Church  of 
the  Redeemer,  on  the  28th  of  March,  should  be 
in  the  nature  of  a  statement  of  position  on  some 
of  the  fundamental  questions  of  religion  and  theol- 
ogy. It  should  be  positive,  and  leave  no  room  for 
doubt,  as  to  where  the  preacher  stood  and  what  he 
meant. 

March  28, 1886.  —  (Sunday.)  The  door  is  fully  open, 
but  I  cannot  yet  make  up  my  mind  to  enter.  The  sermon 
was  on  The  Things  that  llemain.  While  Dr.  Tuttle 
wished  that  I  could  have  stated  more  conservatively  my 
position  on  the  Bible  and  Christ,  he  believed  that  the  spirit 
of  the  discourse  was  thoroughly  Christian. 

THE   DECISION    DELAYED 

The  following  day,  the  writer  left  the  city  and 
was  absent  about  two  weeks,  visiting  friends.  A 
letter,  received  towards  the  end  of  this  period, 
stated  that  Dr.  Tuttle  was  to  be  absent  Sunday, 


CONFERENCE   WITH  DR.   TUTTLE  161 

April  12,  and  asked  whether  the  writer  of  this 
sketch  could  not  supply  the  pulpit.  So  he  returned 
to  the  city  and  preached  in  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer, morning  and  evening,  to  large  congrega- 
tions. Among  the  entries  which  he  finds  in  his 
diary,  about  this  time,  is  the  following : 

April  14,  1886.  —  Have  not  yet  seen  Dr.  Tuttle,  but 
will  call  upon  him  to-morrow.  He  was  expected  to-day.  I 
do  not  know  whether  he  will  want  me  to  preach  for  him 
again  or  not.     Shall  know  soon. 

THE   DECISION    REACHED 

April  17, 1886.  —  Next  Sunday  I  preach  again  for  Dr- 
Tuttle.     He  means  to  hold  on  to  me  to  the  very  last. 

Later :  After  mailing  my  letters  and  papers,  I  went  to 
give  Dr.  Tuttle  my  subjects  for  next  Sunday.  He  said  in 
effect :  "  Now,  I  do  not  understand  why  you  hesitate  longer. 
I  know  where  you  stand  and  I  give  you  a  free  platform. 
I  do  not  mean,  nor  does  any  member  of  that  church,  to  lay 
a  restraining  hand  upon  you.  You  must  feel  yourself  free, 
or  you  cannot  be  a  man.  I  would  not,  for  a  million  of 
dollars,  lay  a  chain  upon  you.  Come,  try  it  —  try  it  for  a 
year,  and  if,  at  the  end  of  that  time  you  feel  that  you  are, 
in  any  wise,  hampered,  you  will  be  just  as  free  to  go  else- 
where as  you  are  to-day.  Make  the  experiment.  I  want 
to  travel  most  of  the  year,  and  you  will  have  your  own 
way."  He  is  putting  it  in  such  a  light  that  there  is  really 
no  reason  why  I  should  not  take  the  offer  for  a  year. 

April  20, 1886.  —  Whether  for  weal  or  woe,  for  better 
or  worse,  I  have  decided.  I  shall  remain  in  Minneapolis. 
I  make  the  experiment  for  a  year.  At  the  end  of  that 
time,  I  shall  be  free  to  go  if  1  cannot  staj^ 


162  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

April  22,  1886.  —  I  may  be  making  a  mistake ;  God 
knows,  I  do  not ;  but  I  am  going  to  try  the  experiment. 
It  seems  best  to  me  now. 

On  Easter  Sunday,  April  25,  1886,  the  writer, 
with  more  than  thirty  others,  was  formally  received 
into  the  fellowship  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer 
by  Dr.  Tuttle. 


THE    WORK   BEGUN 

Following  almost  immediately  upon  this  decis- 
ion, came  the  death  of  Dr.  Tuttle's  son,  James, 
who  was  a  few  months  older  than  the  writer ;  next 
came  a  journey  to  Nebraska  on  account  of  the  ill- 
ness of  the  doctor's  brother ;  then  the  drifting  for 
a  month  or  more  of  the  steamer  in  which  his 
younger  son  was  returning  from  Europe.  These 
combined  circumstances  made  such  a  strain  upon 
Dr.  Tuttle  that  he  resolved  to  spend  the  winter 
in  Thomasville,  Ga.,  for  the  rest  which  he  so 
much  needed.  Upon  an  excursion  to  Cuba,  dur- 
ing this  winter,  in  company  with  W.  W.  Eastman, 
he  so  exposed  himself  to  the  sun,  that  he  suffered 
an  attack  of  congestion  of  the  brain.  These 
things  threw  the  entire  work  of  preaching  upon 
the  writer  almost  from  the  beginning.  It  was  a 
severe  tax  to  preach  to  such  a  congregation,  with- 
out any  accumulated  resources.  The  sermons  pre- 
viously preached  —  most   of  them,  not  all  —  had 


CONFERENCE  WITH  DR.   TUTTLE  163 

gone  up  in  a  "  chariot  of  fire,"  and  had  given  more 
light  while  they  were  burning  than  when  they 
were  preached. 

DEATH    OF   JAISfES    C.   TUTTLE 

April  29,  1886.  —  Have  been  preaching  twice  a  Sunday 
on  account  of  the  sudden  and  dangerous  illness  of  Dr. 
Tuttle's  sou  (James)  with  whom  he  resides.  The  j'oung 
man  is  now  out  of  danger,  but  is  still  confined  to  his  bed. 
News  has  also  come  of  the  fatal  illness  of  the  doctor's  brother 
in  Nebraska,  and  he  will  probably  have  to  go  there  the 
first  of  next  week.     So  I  am  busy,  with  moving  and  all. 

May  1,  1886.  — This  has  been  a  very  sad  day.  After 
luncheon,  I  called  at  Dr.  Tuttle's  and  found  his  noble  son 
dying.  I  comforted  the  broken  father  as  Avell  as  I 
could.  .  .  .  Again  at  Dr.  Tuttle's.  His  son  was  dead. 
I  sat  down  by  his  side,  and  we  talked  of  our  departed,  his 
and  mine.  He  is  terribly  cut  up,  but  not  morbid.  This 
yoimg  man  was  his  strength  and  comfort  —  so  refined,  so 
noble,  so  devoted  to  his  father  — one  of  the  men  that  the 
world  cannot  spare.  "  It  was  no  visitation  of  God,"  said 
the  doctor  ;  "  my  son  was  never  strong ;  this  could  not  be 
helped.  The  law  was  written  in  his  constitution."  How 
deeply  I  feel  to-night  for  the  grief-stricken  father!  It 
seems  as  though  I  had  "  come  into  the  kingdom  for  such  a 
time  as  this!"  ...  "I  must  leave  everything  to  you," 
said  the  doctor,  "  I  can  think  of  nothing.  I  do  not  know 
whether  I  can  ever  think  of  anything  again." 

May  2,  1886.  —  Have  called  at  Dr.  Tuttle's  three  times 
to-day.  He  is  very  heart-broken.  To-morrow  at  2  P.M., 
the  funeral  service  takes  place  at  the  house ;  strictly 
private;    very   simple.     No   singing;   no   remarks.     Mr. 


164  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

Boynton  will  read  a  passage  from  the  Bible,  and  I  will 
offer  a  brief  jjrayer.     That  is  all  —  but  enough. 

May  3,  1886.  —  Attended  funeral  (of  James  C.  Tuttle) 
at  2  P.M. 

TRIBUTES  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  JAMES  C.  TUTTLE 

As  the  writer's  acquaintance  with  this  rare  man 
had  just  begun,  he  will  let  those  who  knew  him 
better  pay  to  his  memory  the  tributes  due.  The 
editor  of   Our  Church  published  the  following: 

In  the  sudden  death  of  Mr.  James  C.  Tuttle,  which 
occurred  at  his  late  residence  in  this  city,  on  Saturday,  May 
1,  not  only  the  family  thus  bereft,  but  the  entire  community, 
sustains  a  real  loss.  Indeed,  rarely  is  the  passing  away  of 
one  so  young,  more  generally,  more  sincerely,  and  more 
justly,  mourned.  Mr.  Tuttle  came  to  this  city  with  his 
parents  while  yet  a  lad,  and  had  here  grown  to  years  of 
manliood,  embarked  in  business,  and  established  a  home. 
Mr.  Tuttle  will  be  esiiecially  missed  in  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer,  in  all  the  affairs  of  which,  from  his  early  youth, 
he  had  taken  a  deep  and  active  interest.  The  onerous 
position  of  secretary  and  treasurer,  which  he  had  held  for 
some  years,  imposed  much  painstaking  labor,  and,  we  fear, 
will  not  be  easily  so  well-filled  again.  It  was,  however, 
in  the  intimacy  of  pi-ivate  friendship  and  the  home  that  the 
rare  excellence  of  Mr.  Tuttle's  character  was  best  revealed. 
To  those  permitted  to  know  him  in  these  relations,  he  was 
singularly  thoughtful,  unselfish,  conscientious,  and  affec- 
tionate ;  a  noble  son,  a  faithful  brother,  and  a  most  dutiful 
husband  and  father.  His  life  was  not  a  long  one,  if 
measured  by  its  years,  but  if  "he  lives  the  longest  who 


CONFERENCE  WITH  DR.    TUTTLE         105 

thinks  most,  feels  the  noblest,  acts  the  best,"  tliougli  thus 
cut  off  in  its  morning,  we  may  not  justly  say,  "  It  was  an 
early  death." 

An  editorial  in  the  Evening  Journal  said : 

No  citizen  of  Minneapolis  was  possessed  of  more  sterling 
or  manly  qualities  than  James  C.  Tuttle.  In  every  rela- 
tion of  life  he  seemed  almost  a  model,  a  thoroughly  honor- 
able and  capal)le  business  man,  affable  and  genial  in  his 
intercourse  with  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him,  a  tender 
husband,  a  devoted  son,  a  proud  and  happy  father,  a  staunch, 
true  friend  —  in  which  relation  he  stood  to  almost  the 
entire  community  —  he  was  one  of  those  rare  characters 
whom  to  know  is  to  honor,  admire,  and  love. 

A   SIGN    OF    THE   MILLENNIUM 

One  more  extract,  and  only  one,  from  the 
writer's  diary,  may  be  introduced  here : 

May  4,  1886.  —  Spent  an  hour  or  two  with  Dr.  Tuttle 
this  afternoon  and  quite  cheered  him  up.  He  even  laughed 
when  I  told  him  about  the  First  Congregationalist  service 
of  last  Sunday  eve.  Dr.  Bridgman,  quite  a  broad-minded 
Methodist,  of  Hamline  College,  had  supplied  the  pulpit  of 
the  First  Church  and  was  to  preach  in  the  evening. 
During  the  afternoon  the  building  burned,  and  Mr.  Powers 
(Universalist)  went  and  offered  the  use  of  his  house  for 

the  evening.     It  was  accepted ;  and  when  Dr.  B came 

over  from  Hamline,  he  was  met  and  informed  of  what  had 
happened,  and  conducted  to  the  Universalist  house  of 
worship.  "  Well,"  exclaimed  the  good  doctor,  "  here  is  a 
Congregational  Society  that  took  up  a  collection  for  the 
Unitarians     (KLristopher     Jansen,    whose    meeting-house 


166  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

had  been  damaged  by  a  storm)  worshiping  in  a  TJniver- 
salist  church,  and  preached  to  by  a  Methodist!  Surely 
the  millennium  is  not  far  off." 


A   WINTER   EST   TEEE   SOUTH 

The  determination  of  Dr.  Tuttle  to  spend  in  the 
South,  the  Winter  following  the  events  already 
narrated  has  been  mentioned.  He  went  to  Thom- 
asville,  Ga.,  with  members  of  his  family.  "  Our 
residence  for  the  Winter,"  he  writes,  "  is  the 
'  Piney  Woods '  hotel.  Names  of  this  character 
are  so  often  misleading,  you  may  suppose  that 
there  is  not  even  a  pine  tree  anywhere  about  here, 
but  in  this  case  we  are  not  deceived.  There  is  a 
boundless  abundance  of  pine  woods.  .  .  .  What 
do  I  do  here?  I  read,  write,  study,  walk,  ride, 
converse  with  the  people  in  'the  parlor,'  sun  my- 
self in  the  long  South  porch  of  the  hotel,  or  retire 
to  the  North  side  when  the  shade  is  more  comfort- 
able, and  give  a  few  moments  now  and  then,  an 
hour  even,  to  tending  the  babies  —  that  is,  my 
two  little  grandchildren."  Among  the  guests  at 
the  hotel  was  a  member  of  the  National  Reform 
Association,  "  a  body,  which  has  for  its  chief  object 
the  insertion  in  our  National  Constitution  of  the 
word  '  God,'  and  a  recognition  of  the  fact  —  claimed 
as  a  fact  by  all  Christians  —  that  Christ  is  the 
King  of  all  nations."     One  of  the  strongest  and 


CONFERENCE   WITH  DR.   TUTTLK  167 

finest  passages  Dr.  Tuttle  ever  wrote,  contains  his 
reflections  upon  this  movement.  It  is  found  in  a 
letter  written  from  Thomas^dlle  to  the  Universalist. 


It  may,  however,  be  suggested  to  our  worthy  friends  of 
the  National  Reform  Association,  that  a  National  Constitu- 
tion is  not  necessarily,  godless,  because  tlie  word  •'  Clod  "  is 
not  in  it.  It  may,  for  all  that,  have  more  truth  and  right- 
eousness in  it  than  others,  where  the  Divine  Name  is  a 
score  of  times  repeated.  The  name  of  God  has  been  cheap 
in  some  ages  and  among  certain  i:)eoples.  Constitutions, 
which  professedly  built  upon  it,  have  perished.  Empires 
that  inscribe  it  on  their  banners,  are  no  nearer  saints  than 
our  modest  republic,  which  did  not  dare,  or  which  forgot, 
to  stamp  itself  with  so  sacred  a  word.  The  Jews  punctu- 
ated their  statutes  with  the  name  of  God,  sealed  the  four 
corners  of  their  Government  with  it,  but  were  not  saved 
from  disintegration  and  dispersion.  "Not  every  one  that 
saith  unto  me.  Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  It  is  reported  that  Alexander  Hamilton,  on  his 
return  from  the  Convention  in  New  York,  on  being  asked 
by  Dr.  Rogers,  an  eminent  chaplain  of  the  Revolution, 
why  the  word  ' '  God  "  was  not  placed  in  the  Constitution, 
replied,  "  Indeed,  doctor,  we  forgot  it."'  Then  it  was  not 
an  intentionally  atheistic  act.  Forgot  it !  Was  this  worse 
than  a  designed  omission  ?  Not  necessarily.  They  may 
have  been  so  intent  on  the  Divine  Things  they  Avere  doing 
as  not  at  that  moment  to  remember  the  source  of  tlieni. 
Just  this  has  happened  many  times  in  this  world.  Persons 
have  been  so  absorbed  in  good  deeds  as  to  have  missed 
praying;  while  others  have  been  so  buried  in  praying  as 
to  lose  thought  of  the  good  deeds.  This  much  we  may 
say  of  our  National  Constitution ;  there  was  never  written, 


168  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

since  the  world  began,  another  which  had  more  of  God's 
truth  in  it,  more  of  man's  sincerity,  and  which  has  been  a 
greater  blessing  to  the  world. 

A    TEIP    TO    CUBA 

While  spending  the  Winter  in  the  way  of  which 
he  has  written,  the  even  tenor  of  his  existence  was 
broken  by  "a  generous  invitation,  sent  me  by  tele- 
gram, to  Thomasville  .  .  .  by  a  Minneapolis  friend 
then  at  Jacksonville,  to  accompany  him  and  four 
other  gentlemen  —  one  of  them  an  ex-mayor  of  our 
city  —  on  a  brief  trip  to  what  Abbe  Raynal  once 
called,  '  the  fairest  emerald  in  the  crown  of  Ferdi- 
nand and  Isabella.'  "  But  early  in  1887,  when 
Dr.  Tuttle  visited  the  island,  it  hardly  deserved 
the  fine  figure  of  Abbe  Raynal ;  or  if  it  did,  the 
rhetoric  would  apply  to  the  country  alone. 

Cuba  is  a  bit  of  Spain  sitting  at  the  foot  of  Florida.  One 
might  almost  toss  a  stone  over  to  it  from  Cajje  Sable,  but 
the  civilization  of  the  island  is  as  distant  as  the  throne  that 
rules  it.  In  looking  at  this  island,  one  sees  into  the  face 
of  Spain.  The  religion,  the  houses  and  shops,  the  speech, 
the  poverty,  the  decrepitude,  the  faded  prestige,  the  social 
abandonments,  the  Sunday  cock-fights  and  bull-fights,  and 
masked  balls  and  gambling  habits  of  Spain,  are  here.  .  .  . 
Havana  hangs  out  signs  of  decay  everywhere.  It  has  seen 
better  days.  The  whole  island  Avas  once  rich,  but  is  now 
too  poor  to  pay  its  debts.  ...  I  feel  more  than  ever  that 
Cuba  should  belong  to  the  United  States.  It  is  one  of  the 
gardens  of  the  world  ;  under  our  care  it  would  be  a  para- 
dise, and  the  most  attractive  of   all  our  "Winter   resorts. 


CONFERENCE  WITH  DR.    TUTTLE         169 

Its  climate  is  an  eternal  Summer,  and  yet,  its  cool  sea- 
breezes,  laden  with  tropii-al  frao^ranee,  qualify  its  langnid, 
enervating  effects,  and  make  it,  for  the  larger  portion  of  the 
year,  a  healthful  residence. 

A   LETTER    FROM   THOMASVILLE 

After  his  return  to  Thomasville,  from  Cuba,  and 
his  recovery  from  the  effects  of  the  trip,  Dr.  Tuttle 
wrote  the  letter  which  follows  : 

Thomasville,  March  1,  1887. 
Dear  Bro.  Shutter:  — I  am  too  weak  to  write  much 
...  I  was  very  sick,  they  say.  They,  perhaps,  exagger- 
ated the  danger.  On  my  Cuban  trip  I  exposed  myself,  it 
is  thought,  to  the  hot  sun  too  much.  I  am  improving.  The 
attack  left  me  weak,  and  somewhat  depressed.  This  may 
possibly  delay  my  return  to  Minneapolis.  My  physicians 
are  positive  in  this  advice,  that  I  remain  East  longer  and 
out  of  work  and  care.  I  do  not  know  Avhether  their  advice 
is  wise  or  not.  I  will  be  sorry  if  I  cannot  see  you  all  and 
be  among  you  at  the  time  planned.  Your  year  expires  the 
first  of  April.  The  trustees  should  meet  and  arrange  for 
the  future.  I  shall  ask  them  to  raise  your  salai-y  and 
reduce  mine.  I  want  you  now  to  consider  yourself  the 
leader  altogether,  and  do  the  same  in  all  things  exactly  as 
if  I  had  no  relation  to  the  Society.  I  take  it  for  granted 
you  will  remain.  The  entire  parish  praises  you  and  is  fast 
loving  you.  I  do  not  want  to  resign,  but  I  want  you  to  be 
practically  the  controlling  pastor.  I  will  write  more  of  this 
soon.  I  read  your  articles,  as  I  see  them,  with  deep 
interest.  I  was  pleased  with  your  reflections  on  Beecher. 
A  great  man  has  gone  !     Love  to  all. 

Yours  truly,  J.  H.  Tlttle. 


170  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

So  ended  the  year  of  experiment,  unless  it  has 
been  experiment  all  along,  and  is  so  still.  The 
writer  is  inclined  to  think  that  nothing  gets  very 
far  beyond  the  experimental  stage  in  this  world. 

DEDICATION    OP    THE   WASHBURN    HOME. 

Late  in  the  Spring,  Dr.  Tuttle  returned  to 
Minneapolis.  In  June,  the  Washburn  Memorial 
Orphan  Home  was  dedicated,  and  Dr.  Tuttle 
delivered  the  address  upon  that  occasion.  He  was 
one  of  the  first  to  whom  Gen.  C.  C.  Washburn, 
the  founder,  had  communicated  his  plans.  "  I 
have,"  he  writes,  "  made  my  last  will  and  testament, 
realizing  fully  that  I  may  be  suddenly  called  away. 
I  long  have  had  the  thought  that  I  ought  to  do 
something  for  mankind  before  resigning  up  '  this 
pleasing,  anxious  being.'  I  know  that  I  cannot 
stay  here  long,  and  what  I  can  do,  I  desire  to  do,  if 
possible,  in  my  lifetime.  In  Minneapolis  I  have 
spent  my  time,  and  have  done  something  towards 
its  development.  I  have  seen  it  grow  from  nothing 
to  its  present  large  proportions.  I  wish  to  leave 
some  memorial  behind  me  of  my  devoted  mother. 
I  have  thought  that  I  could  do  no  better  than  to 
establish  in  her  memory  a  home  for  orphan  children, 
and  I  have,  therefore,  provided  in  my  will  for  such 
a  foundation.  My  desire  is  to  select,  without  any 
disturbance,  a  suitable  site  for  such  an  institution. 


CONFERENCE  WITH  DR.   TUTTLE         171 

It  should  be  three  or  four  miles  from  town  and  easy 
of  access.  Twenty  or  forty  acres  will  be  required, 
and  if  they  contain  some  natural  shade,  it  will  be 
desirable.  I  propose  the  erection  of  a  building 
costing  about  !s<l 00,000,  with  an  endowment  fund 
sufficient  to  suj)port  about  one  hundred  orphans." 
Dr.  Tuttle  was  recpiested  to  look  for  a  spot  answer- 
ing to  the  above  description.  The  present  site  was 
finally  suggested  by  Maj.  W.  D.  Hale,  and  donated 
by  Hon.  W.  D.  Washburn.  The  institution  and  its 
magnificent  work  are  now  too  well  known  to  need 
anything  but  the  brief  mention  that  is  here  possible  ; 
but  it  is  interesting  to  understand  to  what  extent 
Dr.  Tuttle  shared  the  confidence  of  the  remarkable 
man  who  built  the  Washburn  Home.  In  the  course 
of  his  dedicatory  remarks,  Dr.  Tuttle  said : 

' '  Nothing,"  it  has  been  said, ' '  is  more  characteristic  of  the 
barbarous  periods,  than  the  utter  neglect  of  children;" 
while  on  the  other  hand,  "  the  extent  and  wisdom  with 
which  children  are  cared  for,  are  a  measure  of  the  civiliza- 
tion of  a  people."  And  what  more  distinctive  evidences  can 
wo  have  of  the  realization  of  Christianity  than  those  which 
an  institution  of  tliis  (|uality  and  magnitude  affords  ?  There 
are  signs,  here  and  there,  it  has  been  feared,  of  consider- 
able loss  in  the  outward  forms  of  religion  ;  of  some  abate- 
ment in  the  fervent  intensity  of  religious  worship ;  of  some 
faltering  in  pronouncing  old  confessions  of  faith ;  of 
some  disposition  to  pare  away  or  entirelj'^  reject  old  for- 
mulas of  doctrine,  but  whatever  decline  may  have  been 
noticed  in  that  direction  has,  we  assume,  been  more  than 


172  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

offset  by  the  growth  of  practical  religion,  the  religion  which 
helps  the  widow  and  the  fatherless  ;  which  feeds  the  hungry 
and  clothes  the  naked ;  Avhich  seeks  to  mend  the  lunatic's 
mind ;  which  seasons  justice  with  mercy ;  which  stands  as 
father  and  mother  to  orphan  children,  gathering  them  in  its 
arms  and  carrying  them  to  sheltering  homes.  Religionists 
of  this  kind,  Jesus  in'>dtes  to  his  kingdom ;  on  deeds  of  this 
kind,  he  has  placed  the  seal  of  his  blessing.  The  times 
which  produce  men  like  Mr.  Washburn,  suggest  neither  a 
decay  of  Christianity  nor  a  growing  impoverishment  of 
human  nature.  An  age,  distinguished  as  this  is,  for  multi- 
plying its  refuges  for  the  poor  and  friendless,  which  keeps 
an  open  ear  for  the  varied  voices  of  want,  which  devotes  so 
much  of  its  wealth  to  the  diminution  and  extinction  of 
human  misery,  cannot  surely  be  wanting  in  moral  vitality 
or  in  Christian  earnestness.  The  love  of  God  and  the  love 
of  man  go  hand  in  hand.  Faith  and  Hope  are  the  trunk 
and  branch  of  the  gospel ;  Charity  is  the  blossom. 

"  And  most  avails  the  prayer  of  love, 

Which,  wordless,  shapes  itself  in  deed, 
And  wearies  heaven  for  naught  above 
Our  common  need." 


CHAPTER  XI 

ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES 

Destroyed  by  Fire  —  Courtesy  of  Other  Churches  —  Services  in 
the  Grand  Opera  House  —  Address  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  The 
Emblem  of  Hope  —  Rebuilding  the  Temple  —  Some  New 
Features  —  The  Reded  ication  —  A  Second  Visit  to  Cali- 
fornia—  In  the  Land  of  the  Midnight  Sun  —  The  Midnight 
Sunrise  —  The  Sixty-sixth  Birthday. 

The  year  1887  closed  with  a  record  of  great 
prosperity.  Many  had  placed  their  names  upon 
the  roll  of  membership ;  many  others  had  come 
into  the  Society  and  taken  pews  and  sittings  ;  new 
workers  had  appeared ;  the  financial  showing  was 
better  than  ever;  new  life  was  stirring  in  the 
Sunday-school  and  among  the  young  people.  The 
outlook  was  bright.  The  coming  year  was  to 
realize  high  hopes.  Then,  suddenly,  an  awful 
calamity  befell.  On  Sunday  morning,  January 
15,  1888,  while  the  writer  was  preparing  to  go  to 
the  church  to  conduct  the  morning  service  — Dr. 
Tuttle  being  absent  in  New  York  —  the  head 
usher,  J.  Fred  Cole,  appeared,  exclaiming,  "  The 
church  is  on  fire ! "  It  was  the  coldest  morning 
of  the  Winter,  although  the  sun  shone  in  an  un- 
clouded sky.     Snow  lay  thick  and  white  upon  the 

173 


174  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

ground  and  upon  the  roofs  of  houses.  The  fire- 
men went  bravely  at  their  task,  and  crowds  of 
spectators  cheered  them  on ;  but  tlie  intense  cold 
and  the  difficulty  of  locating  the  fire  baffled  their 
efforts.  The  water  froze  where  it  fell,  and  the 
clouds  of  flameless  smoke  continued  to  rise.  So 
dense  were  these  clouds  that  the  most  intrepid 
firemen  could  not  cross  a  threshold  or  enter  a 
window.  All  unseen  the  work  of  destruction  was 
going  on  within,  behind  thick  walls  of  stone. 
One  after  another,  the  heroic  firemen  succumbed, 
and  others  took  their  places  ;  but  all  was  in  vain. 
The  fire  burned  on  slowly  but  unchecked.  At 
last,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the 
flames  burst  through  the  roof  and  sent  showers  of 
sparks  and  glowing  embers  upon  all  the  roofs  in 
the  neighborhood;  and  only  their  coverings  of 
snow  prevented  many  another  disaster.  The  roof 
of  the  church  fell  crashing  through  to  the  base- 
ment, and  all  inside  was  reduced  to  a  red  mass  of 
ruins.  Now,  the  firemen  were  able  to  work  to 
better  purpose,  and  by  nightfall  the  conflagration 
was  extinguished.  "  What  remained  of  the  burned 
church,"  says  Dr.  Tuttle,  "  was  transformed,  even 
during  the  fire,  into  fantastic  and  even  majestic 
piles  of  ice.  It  presented  a  most  picturesque  sight 
for  weeks,  and  multitudes  came  to  see  it.  A 
frieze  of  icicles  bordered  the  broken  walls.  Trans- 
parent stalactites  were  suspended  in  the  doors  and 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES         175 

windows,  and  deep  blue  grottoes  opened  towards 
the  interior  of  the  vestry."  The  origin  of  the 
fire  was  never  discovered. 

COURTESY    OF    OTHER    CHURCHES 

The  burning  of  this  beautiful  liouse  of  worship 
called  out  expressions  of  sympathy  from  all  quar- 
ters. Even  while  the  flames  were  wreathing  them- 
selves around  the  rafters,  invitations  came  from 
orthodox  as  well  as  liberal  societies,  to  use  their 
buildings  as  long  as  might  be  necessary.  Plym- 
outh Congregational  was  first ;  then  the  First 
Unitarian  and  Centenary  Methodist ;  then  the 
Jewish  brethren  offered  their  temple.  Lowell 
somewhere  sings :  "  Before  man  made  us  citizens, 
great  Nature  made  us  men."  The  line  may  be 
re-adapted ;  "  Before  good  men  and  great  men 
divided  us  into  sects  and  parties,  God  gave  us 
hearts."  Deep  down  in  our  being,  beneath  the 
artificialities  of  form,  and  ritual,  and  creed.  He 
wrote  his  everlasting  and  unchanging  gospel  of 
love.  It  cannot  be  suppressed.  It  will  cast  off 
every  weight  that  theology  has  piled  upon  it;  it 
\vill  break  through  every  middle  wall  of  partition. 
After  all,  men  are  brothers ;  they  have  one  Father 
and  one  destiny. 


176  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


SERVICES   IN   THE   GRAND    OPERA   HOUSE 

A  meeting  of  the  trustees  was  held  next  day  in 
the  office  of  Hon.  W.  D.  Washburn,  where  it  was 
decided  not  to  accept  any  of  the  kind  offers  that 
had  been  made,  but  to  secure,  for  Sunday  morning 
services,  the  Grand  Opera  House.  It  was  also  re- 
solved to  go  forward  and  rebuild  the  church.  The 
following  Sunday,  January  22,  1888,  the  congre- 
gation gathered  at  the  usual  hour  of  service  in  the 
Grand  Opera  House.  Of  this  first  meeting,  the 
Pioneer  Press  remarked:  "Had  it  been  anything 
but  a  religious  service,  one  would  have  said  that 
there  was  '  a  good  house '  at  the  '  Grand  '  yesterday 
morning.  In  fact,  all  the  seats  were  occupied  be- 
low, and  a  good  part  of  the  balcony  was  called  into 
requisition.  Although  everybody  tried  to  be  as 
cheerful  as  he  could,  there  was  an  undercurrent  of 
subdued  emotion,  and,  do  the  best  they  could,  it 
was  a  solemn  occasion.  To  be  sure,  the  house 
was  brilliant  .  .  .  but  the  vision  of  that  burn- 
ing church  of  one  week  ago  was  too  fresh  in  their 
minds  to  let  them  think  of  much  else.  .  .  .  Dr. 
Tuttle,  the  pastor,  who  was  in  New  York  last  Sun- 
day when  the  sanctuary  burned,  was  present,  and 
by  his  side  was  the  Rev.  M.  D.  Shutter,  his  assis- 
tant. .  .  .  The  service  was  beautiful ;  the  choir, 
probably  the  best  trained  in  the  city,  sang  charm- 
ingly, as  they  always  do ;  the  ministers  spoke  elo- 


ASHES  AXD  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES        177 

quently  and  touchingly ;  and  altogether,  it  was 
much  better  than  many  of  the  members  had  feared 
who  shrank  from  worshiping  in  a  theater.  .  .  . 
Mr.  Shutter  conducted  the  opening  services,  which 
were  the  same  as  usual,  the  hymns  and  responses 
being  printed  on  slips,  as  all  of  the  service-books 
of  the  church  had  been  destroyed  by  the  flames. 
jNIr.  Shutter,  in  his  prayer,  alluded  to  the  fact 
that  they  had  gathered  there  in  the  shadow  of  a 
great  calamity.  He  spoke  of  the  fond  memories 
and  hallowed  associations  of  the  building  that  had 
been  burned,  and  asked  that  what  seemed  a  mis- 
fortune might  prove  not  a  misfortune.  Exceed- 
ingly appropriate  were  the  Scripture  readings." 
The  key-note  of  the  whole  service  was  the  senti- 
ment of  Paul :  "  "We  are  troubled  on  every  side, 
but  not  distressed ;  we  are  perplexed,  but  not  in 
despair;  .  .  .  cast  down,  but  not  destroyed.'" 

ADDRESS    OF    DR.    TUTTLE 

The  principal  address  of  the  morning  was  by 
the  pastor.  Dr.  Tuttle.  Naturally,  his  sorrow 
over  the  sweeping  away  of  the  outward  symbol  of 
his  life-work  was  deep  and  poignant ;  but  over  it 
all  rose  at  last  the  strain  of  hope  and  courage. 

These  are  not  the  old  surroundings.  .  .  .  Where 
are  we?  WTiat  does  all  this  mean?  It  means  that  our 
beautiful  church,  our  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  the  church 
we  worked  so  long  and  with  such  struggle  to  build,  and 


178  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

which,  when  built,  was  such  a  blessing  to  us  all ;  the 
church  which  was  so  perfectly  planned,  so  skillfully 
arranged,  so  artistically  wrought,  so  faultlessly  furnished 
and  fitted  to  the  Divine  Purpose  for  which  it  was  erected ; 
.  .  .  the  church  which  was  the  pride  of  its  builders,  the 
admiration  of  architects,  which  our  citizens  praised  as 
often  as  they  passed  it ;  which  attracted  the  eyes  of  visi- 
tors ;  which  was  an  object  of  wide  interest  to  the  denomi- 
nation it  represented ;  whose  completion  and  dedication 
was  an  epoch  to  our  cause  in  the  Northwest — it  means 
that  this  church  has  been  despoiled  and  ruined  by  fire. 
The  altar  before  which  we  worshiped,  where  we  baptized 
our  children,  married  our  sons  and  daughters,  gathered  in 
memory  of  our  Lord,  and  sometimes  carried  our  dead — 
the  altar,  the  communion-table,  the  pulpit,  the  organ,  the 
pews,  the  picturesque  gallery,  the  magnificent  ceiling,  the 
lofty  roof  that  sheltered  us,  the  noble  windows  —  alas ! 
the  lovely  memorial  window  consecrated  by  tender  recol- 
lections and  tearful  love  —  all  these  were  scorched  and 
charred  and  imdermined,  and  heaped  in  indistinguishable 
fragments  into  one  frozen,  blackened  mass  !  ...  It  is  un- 
necessary, as  it  is  impossible,  to  tell  you  the  attachment, 
the  affection  even,  I  had  for  that  church,  which  has  been 
ruthlessly  snatched  from  us.  .  .  .  If  ever  there  was  a 
spot  on  earth  where  I  should  have  dared  to  put  the  sign, 
"  Gate  of  Heaven,"  it  was  at  the  altar  of  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer.  .  .  .  But  you  must  not  think,  my  dear  friends, 
that  my  mourning  in  this  way  over  the  loss  of  that  church 
swallows  up  my  hope  of  the  future  of  the  Society.  You 
must  not  believe  that  I  am  yielding  to  anything  like  de- 
spair. Since  I  returned,  particularly  since  I  have  learned 
of  the  hopeful  meeting  of  the  trustees,  of  their  determina- 
tion to  reduce  this  calamity  to  a  minimum ;  since  I  have 
conversed  with  some  of  our  people,  and  found  how  firmly, 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES        179 

heroically,  you  stand  under  this  blow,  the  skies  have 
cleared  wonderfully,  and  my  courage  has  revived.  .  .  . 
The  pluck  and  grit,  and  energy  and  enterprise,  which  char- 
acterize the  Western  people,  are  saved  to  us.  And  when  1 
look  back  and  see  what  you  have  done,  how  great  obstacles 
have  melted  away  before  your  united  wills,  and  when  I  re- 
member that  these  same  brave,  willing  forces,  are  spared  to 
us,  that  our  numl)ers  are  larger  and  our  wealth  more 
ample  than  ever  before,  there  is  no  rational  success,  it 
seems  to  me,  which  does  not  lie  within  the  reach  of  yonr 
possibilities. 

THE   EMBLEM    OF    HOPE 

In  closing  the  service,  the  assistant  pastor 
related  the  following  incident :  "  A  day  or  two 
ago,  as  I  passed  by  the  ruins,  I  stopped  and  looked 
up  over  the  front  entrance,  where  the  beautiful 
rose  window  used  to  be,  but  where  all  is  now  a 
mass  of  ice.  I  do  not  know  what  caused  it  — 
possibly  there  were  some  fragments  of  colored 
glass  behind  the  ice  —  but  as  I  looked,  the  rays 
of  the  sun  so  fell  upon  that  spot,  that  the  colors  of 
the  rainbow  flashed  upon  the  ice.  The  symbol 
of  hope  was  still  shining  there.  The  message  of 
hope  comes  to  us  from  the  history  of  the  past. 
The  gospel  of  hope  shall  again  be  proclaimed 
there ;  and  from  every  window  the  light  of  hope 
shall  again  shine  upon  every  pathway." 

REBUILDING   THE   TEMPLE 

The  work  of  rebuilding  was  begun  as  soon  as 
the  ice  had  cleared  away  in  the  Spring.     It  was 


180  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

found  that  most  of  the  old  walls  could  be  used ; 
but  it  was  decided  to  lengthen  the  structure 
twenty  feet,  according  to  the  original  plan,  both 
for  the  better  architectural  proportions  and  for 
the  additional  room  which  was  needed  within. 
The  Building  Committee  was  composed  of  O.  A. 
Pray,  W.  W.  Eastman,  and  E.  W.  Herrick.  In 
course  of  a  year,  the  lecture-room  was  ready  for 
occupancy,  and  the  congregation  gladly  bade  fare- 
well to  the  Opera  House  and  went  back  home.  The 
Winter  and  Spring  that  services  were  being  held 
in  the  "  Grand,"  Dr.  Tuttle  spent  in  Germany, 
leaving  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  the  hands  of 
his  assistant  —  returning  in  the  early  Summer. 
Another  year  was  required  for  the  completion  of 
the  auditorium,  and  most  of  this  year  was  also 
spent  by  Dr.  Tuttle  in  Europe.  Accompanied  by 
his  son,  Dr.  George  Montgomery  Tuttle,  he  re- 
visited Germany  and  made  an  extended  tour 
throuofh  Russia.  He  returned  in  time  for  the 
rededication  of  the  finished  church,  which  took 
place  November  24,  1889.  That  was  a  great 
event.  No  one,  who  was  present,  will  ever  forget 
it.  The  new  edifice  had  arisen,  almost  as  by 
magic,  upon  the  ruins  of  the  old.  Those  who  had 
mourned  the  destruction  of  the  one  were  there  to 
rejoice  over  the  glory  of  the  other;  and  it  could 
have  been  truly  said  that  "  the  glory  of  the  latter 
house  was  greater  than  that  of  the  former." 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES        181 


SOME  NEW  FEATURES 

Before  describing  the  services  of  rededication, 
attention  must  be  called  to  some  of  the  changes 
that  were  made  in  rebuilding.  The  church,  as  a 
whole,  was  much  more  beautiful  than  it  was  before, 
while  for  convenience  it  "showed  the  vast  im- 
provement that  had  been  made  in  the  art  of 
church  building  within  the  last  dozen  years." 
One  of  the  most  important  changes  in  the  new 
interior  was  in  the  gallery.  This  did  not,  as 
before,  extend  entirely  around  the  auditorium,  but 
w^as  retained  only  across  the  rear  and  on  either 
side  of  the  organ.  Thus,  the  transepts  were  left 
free,  and  the  great  beauty  of  the  transept  windows 
could  be  seen  and  appreciated.  These  windows 
were,  perhaps,  the  most  striking  and  splendid 
features  of  all.  The  east  window,  the  work  of 
Tiffany,  contained  four  memorial  panels.  The 
figure  of  Memory,  upon  one  side,  was  placed  there 
in  commemoration  of  Harriet  Putnam  Morrison ; 
the  figure  of  Hope,  upon  the  other  side,  of  the 
Rand  and  Coykendall  families.^     The  two  interior 

1  Headers  of  this  book  will  recall  the  terrible  tragedy  on 
Lake  Minnetonka,  in  the  Summer  of  1885,  in  which  nine  per- 
sons were  drowned,  and  two  distinguished  families  almost 
completely  blotted  out.  On  a  beautiful  afternoon,  one  of  those 
sudden  wind-storms  which  so  often  occur  at  the  lake,  swept 
down  upon  the  steam-yacht  "  Minnie  Cook,"  and  capsized  it. 
Among  the  victims  were  Hon.  A.  C.  Rand,  formerly  mayor  of 


182  JAMES  H.  TUTTLE 

panels,  altar-pieces,  were  dedicated,  one  to  the 
memory  of  Harriet  Merriman  Tuttle  and  her  son 
James,  the  other  to  the  memory  of  Frederick  A, 
Gilson.  The  west  window  contained  two  memo- 
rials of  two  panels  each,  the  work  of  Herter 
Brothers.  The  panels,  in  which  the  figure  of 
Purity  is  central,  were  placed  there  by  Edwin  W. 
Herrick,  in  memory  of  his  wife,  and  son,  and 
daughter;  the  panels  with  the  angel,  and  the 
youth  fallen  by  the  wayside  in  life's  journey,  com- 
memorated the  son  of  Hon.  W.  D.  Washburn. 
Another  new  feature  was  the  organ,  whose  mag- 
nificent front  is  still  one  of  the  most  elaborate 
pieces  of  wood-carving  to  be  seen  in  this  country. 
Not  only  the  vines  and  flowers,  but  the  groups  of 
choir  boys,  five  on  each  side  of  the  organ,  were 
hand-work.  All  the  carving  was  designed  by 
Felzer,  the  famous  sculptor  of  old  Kaiser  Wil- 
helm,  and  executed  by  German  workmen.  The 
beautiful  communion-table  was  presented  by  the 
family  of  John  Edwards,  in  memory  of  a  daughter, 
Mrs.  Eugenia  Noteware,  and  the  pulpit  Bible  was 

the  city  —  a  man  universally  esteemed  and  honored  —  together 
with  his  wife,  son,  daughter,  and  nephew  ;  and  his  son-in-law, 
John  R.  Coykendall,  wife,  and  daughter.  Nothing  that  has 
happened  in  Minneapolis,  not  even  the  mill  explosions  of  1878, 
ever  threw  such  a  pall  of  .sorrow  over  the  city.  The  beautiful 
figure  of  Hope,  in  the  east  transept  of  the  church,  perpetuates 
the  memory  of  those  noble  lives  that  passed  from  earth  in  the 
storm  and  waves  at  Minnetonka. 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY'  FOR  ASHES        183 

the  gift  of  Mrs.  Caroline  A.  Holmes.  The  audi- 
torium, as  a  whole,  was  "  a  noble  example  of  the 
best  modern  ideas  in  decorative  art."  "  It  is  un- 
fortunate," says  a  critic,  "  that,  in  many  of  the 
churches  where  large  sums  of  money  are  expended 
in  decoration,  too  little  study  is  made  of  the  sub- 
jects as  a  whole.  Certain  portions  of  the  decora- 
tions, by  themselves,  may  be  good,  but  there  is  not 
one  consistent  and  harmonious  scheme.  In  this 
instance,  a  careful  study  was  made  with  reference 
to  the  general  effect,"  and  the  result  was  a  grati- 
fj'ing  testimonial  to  the  taste  and  skill  of  John  S. 
Bi-adstreet. 

THE   REDEDICATION 

"  The  mellow  chimes  of  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer," saj's  the  Pioneer  Press,  "  mute  for  nearly 
two  years  past,  rang  out  their  sweetest  music  yes- 
terday, calHng  to  their  rejuvenated  house  of  wor- 
ship the  faithful  of  that  old  and  popular  church. 
It  was  a  notable  occasion.  The  noble  edifice  was 
to  be  dedicated  anew  to  the  work  which  the  fire 
interrupted,  on  that  cold  winter's  morning,  over  a 
year  and  a  half  ago.  In  that  time  a  new  church, 
practically,  handsomer  even  than  before,  has  been 
built,  and,  with  large  accessions  to  its  roll  of  mem- 
bership, the  Society  starts  out  on  another  era  of 
its  brilliant  history.  All  the  old  members  were 
present  to  rejoice  with  their  pastor  that  the  work 


184  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

was  completed.  Some  had  only  just  arrived  from 
across  the  seas,  and  others  turned  their  steps  from 
different  parts  of  the  country  to  be  present  on 
this  occasion.  It  was  a  grand  family  gathering. 
The  new  church,  commodious  as  it  is,  was  filled 
shortly  after  ten  o'clock,  and  still  the  people  kept 
coming.  All  the  chairs  in  the  building  were 
brought  in  to  fill  the  aisles,  and  then  the  overflow 
swept  into  the  parlors,  and  crowded  the  gallery  to 
the  very  railing.  Not  less  than  fifteen  hundred 
people  were  in  the  church,  and  hundreds  turned 
away,  unable  to  gain  admittance  at  all.  It  was 
pleasant  to  see  many  older  members  of  the  church 
occupying  pews  corresponding  to  those  they  held 
in  the  former  edifice.  But  for  the  new  glories  of 
the  superb  stained  glass  windows,  the  wonderful 
organ,  and  the  other  added  interior  embellishments, 
they  might  have  imagined  themselves  back  in 
their  old  places,  after  a  vacation  or  a  change  of 
scene."  In  the  pulpit  with  Dr.  Tuttle,  upon  this 
occasion,  were  his  assistant,  and  the  other  Univer- 
salist  clergymen  of  the  city.  Following  is  the 
program : 

Invocation Rev.  L.  D.  Boynton. 

Responses  with  Congregation,  Rev.  W.  H.  Harrington. 
Scripture  Reading      .     .     .     Rev.  Le  G.  Powers. 
Reading  of  Hynm       .     .     .     Rev.  August  Uellgren. 

Sermon Rev.  James  H.  Tvittle,  D.D. 

Prayer  of  Dedication       .     .     Rev.  Marion  D.  Shutter. 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES         185 

Prof.  Ludwig  Harmsen  presided  at  the  organ,  and 
the  regular  choir,  consisting  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Weed 
Munro,  Miss  Olive  Fremsted,  and  Henry  Elliott, 
were  assisted  by  other  singers.  Chevalier  Scovel, 
of  the  Boston  Ideals,  sang,  "  There  is  a  green  hill 
far  away."  But  "  the  feature  of  the  occasion,"  to 
quote  again  from  the  Pioneer  Press,  "  was  Dr. 
Tuttle's  sermon.^  The  venerable  pastor  was  in 
his  element.  The  eloquent  memories  of  a  quarter 
of  a  century  of  service  as  pastor  of  the  Church  of 
the  Redeemer  came  on  him  like  a  flood,  and  made 
his  woi-ds  full  of  momentous  significance.  He  had 
far  more  to  say  than  could  be  said  on  an  occasion 
like  this.  His  heart  was  full,  and  it  found  utter- 
ance in  one  of  the  most  interesting  discourses  that 
he  ever  made  to  his  people.  His  sermon  was  over 
an  hour  in  length,  but  so  full  of  reminiscences,  so 
hopeful  and  cheerful  in  its  tone,  that  the  time 
passed  as  by  enchantment.  His  text  was  from 
Isaiah,  Beauty  for  Ashes,  in  itself  of  most  singular 
appropriateness  to  the  occasion.  At  the  close  of 
the  service  there  was  an  impromptu  reception, 
with  Dr.  Tuttle  as  the  central  figure,  and  his  hand 
was  nearly  shaken  off  in  his  effort  to  return  the 
congratulations  that  were  showered  upon  him." 
Thus  ended  another  of  the  great  days  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer. 

'  The  full  text  of  this  great  sermon,  Beauty  for  Ashes,  will 
be  found  in  The  Field  and  the  Fruit. 


186  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 


A   SECOND    VISIT    TO    CALIFORNIA 

Soon  after  this  service  of  rededication,  Dr.  Tuttle 
went  to  California  to  spend  the  remainder  of  the 
Winter.  His  old  Chicago  friend  and  parishioner, 
A.  G.  Throop,  had  some  years  before  removed  to 
Pasadena.  Early  in  1886,  he  had  gathered  together 
a  few  Universalists,  and  had  secured  visiting 
ministers  for  occasional  services.  After  awhile,  a 
lot  was  purchased.  At  length  a  building  fund  was 
started.  On  the  19th  day  of  January,  1888,  a  parish 
was  organized  and  incorporated.  On  May  15th,  of 
the  same  year.  Rev.  E.  L.  Conger  accepted  a  call  to 
the  pastorate.  The  work  prospered.  The  congre- 
gation increased.  In  April,  1890,  a  beautiful  and 
commodious  house  of  worship  had  been  erected,  at 
a  cost  of  $50,000,  and  was  dedicated  free  of  debt- 
The  sermon,  on  that  happy  occasion,  was  preached 
by  Dr.  Tuttle.  It  was  fitting  that  the  man  who 
had  revived  Universalism  in  California  should  be 
present  and  preach  upon  such  a  day  of  rejoicing,  for 
here  was  another  monument,  due  in.  part,  at  least, 
to  his  influence  both  on  the  coast  and  in  the  old 
Chicago  days  when  Father  Throop  —  then  in  the 
prime  of  life  —  was  his  parishioner  and  friend.  His 
text  was  from  Psalm  xxix,  2 :  "  O  worship  the 
Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness."  In  the  course  of 
his  remarks.  Dr.  Tuttle  said : 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES        187 

The  foundation,  the  essence  of  the  truest  character  is 
reverence.  Even  the  smallest  bit  of  it  is  a  help  to  any  one. 
To  see  the  coarse  savage  kneeling  to  something,  which  he 
invests  with  superior  virtue,  shows  that  he  is  not  altogether 
a  savage ;  that  there  is  present  in  his  benighted  soul  a 
redeeming,  uplifting  motive.  1  would  not,  then,  if  I  could, 
take  the  Pagan's  god  from  him  —  not,  I  mean,  until  I  could 
offer  him  a  better  one.  I  knew  a  man,  in  our  own  Christian 
land,  who  said  that  the  only  object  he  felt  like  worshiping 
was  his  little  girl.  Well,  that  was  better,  unspeakably 
better,  than  no  worship  ;  for  she  was  purer,  more  innocent, 
more  beautiful  than  he.  Many  a  child  has  taken  its  parent's 
love,  and  multiplied  it  into  religious  love.  Many  a  father 
has  found  Christ  by  seeing  him  reflected  in  the  sweet,  loving 
face  looking  up  from  his  knee.  Many  a  husband  has  loved 
his  wife  first,  and  then  God ;  and  many  children  have  had 
their  paths  lighted  to  heaven  by  the  candle  of  filial 
affection. 

This  extract  furnishes  a  fine  illustration  of  the 
perfect  balance  and  sanity  of  the  preacher,  the  utter 
absence  of  anything  like  fanaticism  or  bigotry, 
and  the  rational  manner  in  which  he  looked  upon 
life  and  religion,  identifying  religion  with  all  that 
is  best  in  life,  and  even  with  the  feeblest  and  most 
unintelligent  aspirations  for  the  good. 

IN    THE    LAND    OF    THE    IVUDNIGHT    SUN 

It  is  a  far  cry  from  Pasadena  to  the  North  Cape  ; 
but  three  months  after  the  dedication  of  the  church 
in  that  beautiful  California  city,  Dr.  Tuttle  was 
traveling  in  the  frozen  North.     One  of  his  experi- 


188  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

ences  upon  this  journey  is  so  unique  that  it 
deserves  a  place  in  these  pages,  and  his  description 
of  the  event  is  so  delightful,  that  it  must  be  given 
in  his  own  words :  "  Altogether,  I  have  had  in  my 
life,  sixty-six  birthdays,  enough  of  them  to  have 
become  very  common,  and  not  worth  troubling  the 
public  with  generally,  or  being  mentioned  outside 
the  family  or  the  wider  circle,  perhaps,  occasionally, 
of  a  few  intimate  friends.  The  last  anniversary  of 
this  kind,  however,  which  occurred  on  the  27th  of 
July,  1890,  came  in  so  unique  a  place  and  manner 
that  I  yielded  to  the  temptation  to  give  some 
account  of  it  to  the  numerous  readers  of  the 
Universalist,  among  whom  I  am  so  fortunate  as  to 
have  many  acquaintances  scattered  about." 

Where  I  was  born  and  brought  up,  in  Central  New  York, 
the  sun  was  supposed,  and  it  was  so  declared  in  the  cal- 
endar, to  rise  in  the  East  and  set  in  the  West.  If  I  heard 
or  read,  in  my  early  boyhood,  as  I  doubtless  did,  of  a  mid- 
night sun,  a  sun  that  rose  and  set  at  nearly  the  same  instant, 
and  directly  in  the  North ;  or  rather,  which  did  not  really 
set  at  all,  but  only  threatened  or  seemed  intending  to  do  so, 
sinking  near  to  the  horizon  and  then  stopping  and  begin- 
ning at  once  to  ascend,  not  disappearing  for  a  moment,  I 
must  have  regarded  it  as  little  more  than  a  myth,  as  I  now 
do  most  of  the  Norseland  tales,  an  entertaining  story  which 
adventurous  navigators  in  Arctic  regions  were  fond  of  tell- 
ing on  their  return  to  their  more  credulous  and  less  experi- 
enced listeners.  The  almanac,  which  mother  always  kept 
hanodng  over  the  great  fireplace  in  our  humble  home, 
which  was  her  prophet,  an  encyclopedia  which  she  daily 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES         189 

consulted  for  all  sorts  of  knowledge,  terrestrial  and  celes- 
tial, told  us  when  to  expect  the  sun  in  the  morning,  and 
when  we  shoukl  have  our  last  glimpse  of  it  over  the  west- 
ern hills  in  the  evening.  For  our  children's  heavy  eyelids 
it  came  up,  it  is  true,  too  soon,  even  there  in  that  latitude, 
and  we  would  have  promised  sometimes  half  the  money 
we  ever  expected  to  be  worth  to  induce  it  to  delay  its  rising 
a  few  hours  ;  but  what  would  we  have  said  or  done  if  father 
had  knocked  at  our  door  each  night  at  twelve  o'clock,  cry- 
ing out,  "  Sun's  up,  boys  ! "  On  the  other  hand,  we  should 
have  blessed  a  midnight  sun  at  our  holiday  season,  at 
Christmas  time  especially,  to  cut  short  our  sleepless  wait- 
ing to  examine  our  stockings. 

THE    ]\nDNIGHT     SUNRISE 

Then  follows  a  most  graphic  account  of  the 
phenomena  attending  the  descent  and  immediate 
upward  movement  of  the  sun  when  it  touches  the 
lowest  point :  "  Well,  I  do  know  now,  setting  aside 
these  pleasantries,  that  there  is  such  a  tiling  on 
this  earth  of  ours  as  a  midnight  sun,  for  I  have 
recently  seen  it.  .  .  .  The  ship's  bell,  announcing 
the  hour  of  twelve,  is  the  first  sound  to  break  the 
stillness.  And  there  is  the  midnight  sun,  with  its 
lower  edge  touching,  or  nearly  touching,  the  horizon. 
There  it  rests.  The  last  step  in  its  descending  race 
is  taken.  It  will  not  go  below  the  horizon.  .  .  . 
But  what  happened  after  the  midnight  sun  ?  An- 
other thing  just  as  strange  —  the  midnight  sunrise. 
And  the  second  was  no  less  brilliant  and  produced 
no  less  wonderful  effects  on  the  sky,  water,  and 


190  JAMES  H.  TUTTlE 

mountains,  than  the  first.  The  sunrise  light,  how- 
ever —  else  we  imagined  it  —  seemed  different,  as 
at  home,  from  the  sunset  light.  Others  have  ob- 
served and  spoken  of  this  inexplicable  dissimilarity 
It  would  seem  impossible  that  the  sun,  immedi- 
ately after  turning  its  goal,  should  cast  a  changed 
hue  over  things ;  but  nature  does  seem  to  know 
when  her  shining  god  starts  his  chariot  upward, 
and  to  wear  a  more  cheerful  blush.  The  snow 
summits  almost  instantly  alter  their  tinge." 

THE   BIRTHDAY   CELEBRATION 

The  letter  closes  with  the  description  of  the 
sixty-sixth  birthday  celebrated  at  the  North  Cape, 
under  the  light  of  the  new-risen  midnight  sun : 

I  personally  shall  have  another  good  reason  for  remem- 
bering that  midnight  sun,  since  I  saw  it  at  the  portal  of 
my  sixty-sixth  birthday.  On  this  birthday  my  sun  neither 
rose  nor  set,  a  thing  that  never  happened  to  me  before. 
.  .  .  When  the  sun's  midnight  display  had  closed,  the 
particular  members  of  our  party  called  me  into  a  partial 
hiding-place  in  the  rear  of  the  ship,  and  placed  in  my  hand 
a  valuable  present  of  a  silver  paper-knife,  with  an  artisti- 
cally and  uniquely  carved  and  chased  handle,  including  a 
striking  figure  of  the  Norseland  god  Thor,  applying  his 
hammer  with  deadly  effect  upon  an  evil  snake  entwined 
about  his  body.  .  .  .  Besides,  the  ladies  in  our  party  had 
interviewed,  with  entire  success,  the  cook  and  steward,  and 
had  a  huge  cake  made  for  me,  posted  and  appropriately 
embossed  with  my  name  and  age,  and  which  Caj^t.  Folke- 
dal  brought  in  with  both  hands,  his  face  beaming  with 


ASHES  AND  BEAUTY  FOR  ASHES        191 

satisfaction,  and  doubly  beaming,  by  reason  of  the  cake's 
border  of  sixtj-six  burning  tapers — and  laid  before  me. 
.  .  .  The  menu  laid  at  my  plate  had  a  special  addition  on 
the  reverse  side,  of  a  little  birthday  address  of  a  dozen 
lines  in  Norwegian  poetry,  composed  by  Capt.  Folkedal, 
containing  —  so  my  translator  said  —  some  beautiful  and 
well-expressed  sentiments.  Referring  to  the  sun,  which 
we  had  come  so  far  to  see,  and  which,  on  my  birthday,  did 
not  go  below  the  horizon,  he  wished  it  might  long  continue 
to  shine  for  me,  both  in  midday  and  midnight  brightness, 
keeping  me  as  young  as  I  seemed  now,  and  light  my  way 
to,  and  far  beyond,  the  earthly  pale.  And  this  was  not 
enough.  The  captain  taking  my  arm  before  I  had  finished 
my  meal,  led  me  on  deck,  where  he  ordered  the  American 
flag  unfurled  and  the  four  guns  fired.  Is  it  likely  that  I 
shall  ever  forget  that  wonderful  Sabbath  and  my  sixty-sixth 
birthday  ? 


CHAPTER   XII 

COMPLETION   OF  A  TWENTY-FIVE   YEARS' 
PASTORATE 

Resignation  —  Pastor  Emeritus  —  The  Celebration  ;  Dr.  At- 
wood's  Sermon  —  Remarks  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  Monday  Evening 
—  The  Speeches  —  The  Letters  —  The  Presentation  —  Tlie 
Marble  Font. 

Although  the  members  of  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer  and  parish  were  not  unprepared  for  such 
an  event,  there  were  few  dry  eyes  in  the  congrega- 
tion when,  on  Sunday  morning,  June  28, 1891,  the 
following  letter  was  read  from  the  pulpit : 

"  Dear  Brethren  :  On  the  first  Sunday  in 
July,  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  my  pastorate 
will  occur,  and  this  seems  a  natural  opportunity  for 
me  to  ask  your  permission  to  resign.  I,  therefore, 
herewith  respectfully  tender  you  my  resignation, 
desiring  that  it  shall  take  effect  on  the  day  men- 
tioned. It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  assure  you  that 
the  decision  to  sever  the  happy  relation  I  have  so 
long  held  with  our  church  here,  has  cost  me  no  in- 
considerable struggle.  And  this  step  has  not  been 
made  suddenly,  nor  without  earnest,  prayerful  re- 
flection. My  advancing  age  has  been  warning  me 
that  such  a  change  must,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
come  soon ;  and  as  you,  five  years  ago,  secured  for 

192 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  193 

me  an  able  and  successful  associate,  we  are  all  for- 
tunately relieved  from  any  anxiety  regarding  my 
successor.  I  do  not  leave  an  empty  pulpit  behind 
me.  All  things  in  the  church  are  well  prepared  for 
the  change.  The  continuity  of  the  parish  will  suffer 
no  break.  I  have  in  my  heart  and  mind  enough 
to  make  a  much  longer  letter,  but,  as  I  intend  to 
express  myself  more  at  length,  elsewhere,  on  this 
matter,^  brevity,  perhaps,  is  better  now.  If  my  life 
among  you  these  many  years  has  not  shown  my 
perfect  confidence  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  my  deep  abiding  love  for  it,  any  words  I  might 
use  here  would  be  in  vain.  And  yet,  though  it  must 
appear  a  commonplace  form,  I  must  thank  you,  and 
the  church,  and  the  congregation,  a  thousand  times 
for  your  ten  times  thousand  kindnesses  to  me. 
That  our  Heavenly  Father  will  continue  to  bless 
you  all  and  keep  you  all  in  his  loving  charge  is, 
and  ^vill  be,  my  sincere  and  constant  prayer. 
Your  affectionate  pastor, 

J.   H.  TUTTLE." 
PASTOR    EMERITUS 

This  letter  of  resignation  was  referred  by  the 
Society  to  the  Board  of  Trustees,  with  power  to 
act.  At  a  meeting  of  the  trustees,  held  a  few  days 
afterwards  in  the  office  of  Dorilus  Morrison,  it  was 
unanimously  decided  that  Dr.  Tuttle  must  not 
I  See  The  Field  and  the  Fruit. 


194  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

sever  his  connection  with  the  Church  of  the  Re-= 
deemer,  but  must  accept  the  position  of  Pastor 
Emeritus  for  life.  The  satisfaction  felt  by  the 
congregation  and  the  community  at  this  arrange- 
ment, found  expression  in  the  columns  of  the  daily 
press.  The  Tribuyie  said:  "  All  Minneapolis  will 
be  glad  to  know  that  Dr.  Tuttle's  resignation  does 
not  entirely  sever  his  pastoral  relations  with  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer.  It  is  understood  that 
he  will  remain  as  Pastor  Emeritus,  preaching  oc- 
casionally and  sharing  in  other  parish  work.  At 
all  events,  it  is  said  to  be  his  intention  to  remain 
in  Minneapolis,  where  he  has  a  legion  of  friends." 
The  Journal  announced  that  "Happily,  the  resigna- 
tion of  Dr.  Tuttle  does  not  mean  that  we  are  to 
lose  the  kindly  smile,  the  gentle  word  of  good 
cheer,  the  warm  grasp  of  the  hand,  of  a  man  who, 
by  his  beautiful  and  helpful  life,  has  endeared  him- 
self to  all  who  have  ever  had  an  opportunity  to 
know  what  his  friendship  and  sympathy  are  worth." 
So  there  was  great  rejoicing  everywhere  that  Dr. 
Tuttle  was  still  to  be  a  part  of  the  city  and  of  the 
church. 

THE    CELEBRATION  ;    DR.  ATWOOD's   SERMON 

It  was  also  resolved  by  the  trustees,  and  gladly 
ratified  by  the  Society,  to  signalize,  in  some  fitting 
manner,  the  approaching  anniversary.  As  adequate 
preparation  could  not  be  made  for  the  first  Sunday 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  195 

of  July,  special  services  were  held  on  the  second 
Sunday,  July  12.  In  the  pulpit  were  his  old 
friends,  Drs.  Atwood  and  Hanson  and  Deere. 
The  invocation  was  made  by  Dr.  Deere,  prayer 
was  offered  by  Dr.  Hanson,  and  Dr.  Atwood 
delivered  the  sermon.  His  text  was  John  xvii:  19, 
"  And  for  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself,  that  they 
also  may  be  sanctified  through  the  truth."  The 
speaker  remarked  that "  his  interest  in  the  occasion 
did  not  grow  out  of  the  fact  that  Dr.  Tuttle  is  a 
Universalist  minister,  or  that  he  had  held  a  long 
pastorate,  but  out  of  his  belief  that  James  H. 
Tuttle  had,  from  the  beginning,  sanctified  himseK 
to  the  service  of  God  and  the  good  of  his  fellows. 
This  is  what  gives  significance  to  this  anniversary." 
Continuing,  he  declared,  that  "  Mr.  Tuttle  saw  the 
possibilities  of  civic  and  church  life  here  twenty- 
five  years  ago,  put  his  gentle,  patient,  loving  spirit 
into  the  unfashioned  material  of  that  early  time, 
and,  by  working  and  waiting,  and  waiting  and 
working,  has  wrought  this  marvel  of  transforma- 
tion which  our  eyes  only  partially  see,  but  the  full 
value  and  glory  of  which  is  measured  by  the  eye  of 
God  alone.  Stand  up,  my  brother,  and  receive 
your  crown  !  It  is  not  of  gold  that  tarnishes,  nor 
of  laurel  that  fades,  but  the  undecaying  amaranth 
of  a  city's  gratitude  and  a  people's  affection,  braided 
to-day  with  immortelles  contributed  by  the  angel 
hands  of  the  dear  departed." 


196  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 


REMAKKS  OF  DR.  TUTTLE 

Dr.  Tuttle  himself  spoke  at  this  morning  service. 
He  reviewed  the  circumstances  of  his  coming  to 
Minneapolis,  and  told  of  his  relations  to  the 
clergymen  and  others  who  had  come  to  this  anni- 
versary. The  address  was,  by  turns,  "tender, 
pathetic,  humorous." 

Twenty-five  years  ago  the  middle  of  this  month,  I  was 
present,  by  invitation,  at  a  meeting  of  the  friends  of  our 
cause  in  St.  Paul.  It  was  my  first  visit  to  Minnesota.  I 
had  come  up  from  Chicago  to  assist  in  organizing  the 
Minnesota  State  Convention  of  Universalists.  I  met  at 
that  meeting  two  or  three  of  the  trustees,  and  some  of  the 
members  of  this  church.  They  requested  me  to  come  to 
Minneapolis,  and  spend  the  remainder  of  the  Summer. 
I  came,  and  brought  my  family  with  me.  You  had  no 
church  building  at  that  time,  and  the  services  were  held 
in  Harrison  Hall,  on  the  corner  of  Nicollet  and  Washington 
avenues.  I  preached  a  sermon  in  that  place  on  the  first 
Sunday  in  July,  1866,  so  that  the  anniversary  was  really 
last  Sunday  instead  of  this.  Some  of  those  I  saw  in  that 
early  congregation,  I  see  before  me  to-day.  Many  more 
I  do  not  see,  and  they  are  seen  no  more  upon  the  earth. 
They  are  invisible  to  us,  but  we  may  not  be  invisible  to 
them.  We  cherish  the  memory  of  these  loved  ones.  It  is 
possible  they  send  back  their  thoughts  to  us  ;  while  they 
are  away  from  us  they  are  with  God  in  Paradise.  And  we 
are  with  God,  and  because  we  are  with  him  to-day  and 
shall  be  always,  we  shall  be  in  Paradise  with  them.  I 
think  of  all  these  loved  ones  who  have  gone  before. 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  197 

These  windows  speak  of  some  of  them  ;  our  hearts  speak 
of  all  of  them. 

Before  the  Summer  was  ended,  the  trustees  suggested 
to  me  that  I  remain  for  one  year.  When  I  came,  I 
had  no  expectation  of  remaining  longer  than  a  few  weeks. 
You  did  not  believe,  nor  did  I,  tiiat  the  one  year  would  be 
extended.  If  I  have  stayed  too  long,  you  are  partly  to 
blame.  It  is  true  you  did  not,  and  have  never,  asked  me  to 
remain  longer  than  one  year.  Ikit  at  the  end  of  that  time 
you  did  not  declare  the  pulpit  vacant.  You  have  never 
given  the  least  hint  that  I  was  clever  enough  to  take  hold 
of,  and  so  I  have  kept  on.  In  1866,  Minneapolis  was 
little  more  than  a  village  on  this  side  of  the  river,  and  St. 
Anthony  the  same  on  the  other.  You  had  no  railroad,  and 
very  little  of  what  you  have  to-day.  The  jjlace  where 
this  church  stands  was  out  in  the  country.  But  I  was 
pleased  with  Minneapolis.  It  had  a  New  York  and  New 
England  appearance,  and  I  felt  at  home  in  it  at  once.  I 
was  charmed  with  the  scenery*  and  the  adjoining  country, 
woods,  hills,  lakes,  the  clear  sky,  and  invigorating  air, 
and  I  was  glad  to  remain  here. 

I  have  never  tired  of  Minneapolis,  or  its  climate,  or  its 
people.  I  have  been  fond  of  traveling,  but  I  was  more 
fond  of  returning  here.  I  can  say  honestly  that  I  have 
never,  for  one  moment,  wished  for  another  station.  My 
love  for  you  has  never  grown  old,  nor  for  a  moment  lost 
its  warmth.  I  have  spent  my  longest  and  best  years  in 
your  midst ;  I  have  experienced  here  my  greatest  joys 
and  my  deepest  sorrows.  But  I  must  not  dwell  on  these 
questions.  I  have  neither  the  time  nor  the  courage,  and 
so  I  pass  to  make  just  a  simple  explanation  of  the  sen-ice 
this  morning.  It  is  unusual  for  you  to  see  so  many  clergy- 
men on  this  platform.  .  .  .  These  ministers  who  have 
come  from  their  homes  are  my  friends,  and  have  been. 


198  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

Dr.  Atwood  came  to  my  house  in  Rochester  before  he 
entered  the  ministry.  I  remember  talking  with  him  that 
day,  but  forget  what  I  said.  I  wish  I  could  say  it  had  a 
little  influence  on  him.  Nevertheless,  he  entered  the 
ministry,  and  the  whole  coimtry,  East  and  West,  unite  in 
saying  that  he  did  not  make  a  mistake.  .  .  .  Dr.  Deere  I 
have  known  for  these  many  long  years.  We  were  school- 
mates together.  He  occupied  this  pulpit  during  my  vaca- 
tion in  California.  I  am  glad  he  is  here.  Of  Dr.  Hanson, 
I  cannot  say  that  I  knew  him  when  he  was  a  boy,  but  we 
have  known  each  other  these  many  years.  1  wish  I  could 
tell  you  of  all  the  other  friends  I  see  in  this  congregation 
who  have  strengthened  me.  I  see  before  me  a  gentleman, 
eighty  years  of  age,  who  has  come  all  the  way  from  Cali- 
fornia (A.  G.  Throop).  ...  I  feel  honored  with  their 
presence  on  this  occasion.   .   .   . 

I  came  to  you  because  I  had  faith  in  God,  and  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  in  human  nature.  Without  that  faith  I  could 
not  have  come  to  you,  and  I  would  have  been  of  no  service 
to  you.  I  have  learned  here  the  more  to  love  God  through 
my  love  for  you.  My  trust  in  human  nature  has  been 
enlarged  by  what  you  have  given  me  of  human  nature 
through  your  generosity,  large-heai-tedness.  Christian 
principles,  and  religion.  You  have  aided  me  to  see  the 
good  in  human  nature.  I  leave  with  you  this  one  word  : 
If  this  church  has  made  any  advancement,  it  was  because 
you  accepted  Christ  as  your  authority  and  your  leader. 
Continue,  and  all  will  be  well.     God  bless  you,  everyone. 

In  the  evening  Dr.  Deere  preached  an  impres- 
sive sermon,  based  on  the  second  chapter  of  Phi- 
lippians.  He  unfolded  the  thought  of  the  apostle 
that  Jesus  stooped  from  his  exaltation  to  the  low- 
liest offices  of  service,  became  even  a  slave  that  he 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  199 

might  serve  and  bless  mankind,  and,  in  that  conse- 
cration of  his  powers  to  the  helplessness  of  others, 
found  his  highest  happiness  and  greatest  glory. 
He  made  frequent  applications  of  his  theme  to  the 
occasion,  and  found  a  rich  illustration  of  it  in  the 
career  of  the  man  the  occasion  celebrated.  In  his 
earliest  days,  at  the  theological  school,  and  ever 
since,  he  had  manifested  that  irenic  disposition  that 
overcomes  opposition,  not  by  beating  it  down  in 
controversy,  but  by  melting  it  away  by  "a  sweet 
reasonableness,"  He  closed  by  announcing  the 
fact  that  "  this  day  of  the  celebration  of  Dr. 
Tuttle's  twenty-fifth  anniversary  was  also  the 
anniversary  of  the  birth  of  his  sainted  wife,  who, 
for  so  many  years,  was  his  devoted  and  accom- 
plished helpmate." 

At  the  close  of  Dr.  Deere's  discourse,  Dr. 
Hanson  briefly  addressed  the  congregation.  He  re- 
called the  circumstances  under  which  his  acquaint- 
ance with  Dr.  Tuttle  began.  It  was  just  twenty-five 
years  ago,  that  he  discovered,  on  a  Mississippi 
steamer,  between  Dubuque  and  Minneapolis,  a 
trunk  marked  "  J.  H.  T,,"  and  jumping  to  the 
conclusion  that  they  were  the  initials  of  a  man 
about  whom  he  had  heard  in  Rochester  and  Chica- 
go, he  accosted  the  first  person  who  seemed  worthy 
of  those  initials  and  introduced  himself.  Dr. 
Hanson  then  referred  to  the  wonderful  growth  of 
the   city,  and  the  still  more  wonderful  growth  of 


200  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

our  cause,  and  attributed  the  latter  to  the  first- 
class  materials  Dr.  Tuttle  had  found,  and  to  the 
consecration  and  skill  with  which  they  had  been 
used.  Thus  closed  the  first  day  of  the  great 
celebration. 

MONDAY    EVENING 

The  next  evening,  as  the  audience  assembled, 
the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  streamed  in  through 
the  glorious  memorial  windows  in  the  west  tran- 
sept, illuminating  the  entire  scene.  Above  the 
pulpit  a  large  white  monogram,  from  a  bank  of 
green,  was  visible.  An  arch  of  green,  decorated 
with  flowers,  rose  round  the  pulpit.  Banks  of 
flowers  surrounded  the  rostrum,  and  multitudes  of 
pahns  rendered  the  entire  altar  front  a  mass 
of  beauty.  The  auditorium  was  crowded  with  an 
immense  concourse  of  people,  of  all  creeds  and 
parties.  Sectarian  divisions  and  prejudices  were 
lost  in  the  common  tribute  to  that  which  transcends 
them  all  —  character.  The  platform  was  occupied 
by  a  crowd  of  clergymen  and  other  guests  —  many 
of  whom  had  a  national  reputation.  Dorilus  Morri- 
son, president  of  the  Society  from  the  beginning, 
was  in  the  chair,  and,  as  one  of  the  distinguished 
guests  remarked,  "  his  courtly  grace  would  have 
honored  an  assembly  of  princes."  The  newly 
elected  pastor  acted  as  toast-master,  introducing 
the  speakers  and  reading  the  letters  and  telegrams. 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  201 

"  We  do  not  come  to  bury  Caesar,  but  to  praise  him," 
were  the  words  with  which  he  introduced  the 
ceremonies,  after  the  strains  of  the  organ  had 
ceased.  Then  he  read  a  cablegram  from  Hon.  W. 
D.  Washburn,  dated  Hammerfest,  July  12,  1891: 
"  From  the  land  of  the  Midnight  Sun,  all  send 
greetings  on  the  joyous  event." 

THE    SPEECHES 

The  first  speaker  was  Father  Throop,  who  re- 
counted the  circumstiinces  under  which  he  had 
persuaded  Dr.  Tuttle,  thirty-two  years  ago,  to  re- 
move from  Rochester  to  Chicago.  He  thought 
"  Minneapolis  under  obligations  to  him  for  bring- 
ing him  so  far  along  on  his  way.  Dr.  Tuttle  had 
been  his  spiritual  adviser  ever  since  —  especially 
during  the  fearful  days  of  the  war  when  his  two 
noble  sons  were  killed.  He  loved  him  more  than 
any  other  living  man."  J.  H.  Swan,  of  Chicago, 
described,  in  earnest  and  feeling  terms,  the  great 
work  Dr.  Tuttle  had  done  during  the  Chicago 
years.  Dr.  Harris,  one  of  his  successors  in  the 
Chicago  church,  declared  that "  he  had  continually 
heard  his  praises  and  his  virtues  recited.  He  felt 
it  an  honor  to  follow  and  enter  into  the  labors  of 
such  a  man.  He  had  stamped  himself  on  the  peo- 
ple of  Chicago,  as  no  other  man  had  ever  done." 

The  next  speaker  was  C.  M.  Loring,  a  member 
of  the  parish.     He  told  of  a  motto  he  had  once 


202  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

heard,  "  Do  all  the  good  you  can,  to  as  many 
people  as  you  can,  in  all  the  ways  you  can,  and  as 
long  as  you  can."  He  thought  that  Dr.  Tuttle 
was  the  only  man  he  had  ever  known  who  had 
lived  up  to  those  exacting  teachings.  Referring 
to  his  great  popularity,  Mr.  Loring  said,  "  I  once 
traveled  with  him,  and  everywhere  we  went,  we 
found  people,  who  exclaimed,  '  Don't  you  remem- 
ber me.  Dr.  Tuttle  ?  Why,  you  married  me ! ' 
and  then  they  would  bring  out  the  cliildren  and 
have  a  jubilee."  Rev.  L.  D.  Boynton,  the  former 
associate  of  Dr.  Tuttle,  regarded  him  as  one  whose 
name  was  synonymous  with  everything  good.  A 
member  of  another  communion  had  said  to  him, 
"  There  are  two  denominations  to  which  I  am 
unalterably  opposed,  the  Catholic  Church  and  the 
Universalists ;  and  yet  the  two  men  in  the  State 
for  whom  I  have  the  greatest  reverence  are  Arch- 
bishop John  Ireland  and  Dr.  James  H.  Tuttle." 
Mr.  Boynton  also  related  another  incident.  A 
good  man  had  said  to  him :  "  When  I  heard  Mr. 
Shutter  preach  a  most  excellent  sermon,  I  looked 
all  the  time  at  Dr.  Tuttle,  and  I  do  not  know 
which  helped  me  most."  "  The  only  criticism  I 
ever  heard  on  the  doctor,"  continued  Mr.  Boynton, 
"  was  when  I  occupied  the  pulpit ;  and  then  every- 
body wanted  to  know  why  Dr.  Tuttle  didn't  preach." 
Gov.  Wm.  R.  Merriam  and  Mayor  P.  B, 
Winston  were  among  the  guests  upon  the  plat- 


COMPLETION  OF  A  PASTORATE  203 

form.  Mayor  Winston  likened  Dr.  Tuttle  "  to  a 
finished  garment  from  the  loom  of  life,  in  which 
the  warp  and  woof  of  joy  and  sorrow  were  blended 
in  the  perfect  art  of  God."  Prof.  W.  W.  Folwell, 
of  the  State  University,  spoke  of  the  "  wide  influ- 
ence of  Dr.  Tuttle  upon  all  sects  and  parties  and 
good  enterprises."  He  paid  a  warm  tribute  to 
him  as  one  who  promoted  the  public  good  in  all 
directions,  and  praised  him  for  his  staunch  sup- 
port of  the  State  University.  Hon.  R.  D.  Russell, 
City  Attorney,  told  of  the  time  when  he  came  to 
Minneapolis,  and  how  a  Presbyterian  minister  of 
Chicago  had  urged  him  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  Dr.  Tuttle.  "  I  did  so,"  said  Mr.  Russell,  "  and 
learned  from  him  to  value  character  over  creed." 
Other  speeches  were  made  by  such  men  as  Dr. 
S.  G.  Smith,  of  the  People's  Church,  St.  Paul,  and 
Rev.  H.  M.  Simmons,  of  the  Unitarian  Church, 
Minneapolis.  James  T.  Wyman  was  humorously 
introduced  as  *'  a  Methodist  who  had  fallen  from 
grace  sufficiently  to  associate  vn\h  Universalists." 
He  said  that  "  he  really  thought  that  Dr.  Tuttle 
had  made  the  punishment  for  wrong-doers  about 
as  long  and  as  hot  as  any  one  could  wish,  and  did 
not  know  but  that  he  should  properly  have  been  a 
Methodist."  Judge  Isaac  Atwater,  in  greeting  his 
old-time  friend,  said  that  he  left  no  enemies  behind 
him.  "  Here  was  a  man  who  had  built  up  a  strong 
church  by  simply  preaching  the  gospel  as  he  un- 


204  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

derstood  it,  and  minding  his  own  business ;  one 
who  had  not  built  up  a  false  popularity  by  clap- 
trap and  sensation,  but  by  faithful  work."  Hon. 
George  A.  Pillsbury  had  never  heard  a  word 
against  Dr.  Tuttle,  and  almost  wished  that  he 
were  still  a  Baptist.  George  A.  Brackett  had 
known  Dr.  Tuttle  for  twenty-five  years,  and  could 
honestly  say  that  he  was  a  better  man  for  that 
long  acquaintance.  Charles  Carleton  Coffin,  the 
historian,  had  come  all  the  way  from  Boston  to 
congratulate  his  one-time  companion  of  the  plains, 
and  to  tell  him  how  his  own  life  had  been  in- 
fluenced by  the  sermons  Dr.  Tuttle  preached 
twenty-five  years  ago  in  Chicago,  in  behalf  of  the 
common  brotherhood  of  man,  black  and  white. 
Sol  Smith  Russell,  the  actor,  followed  in  a  few 
well-chosen  words  of  appreciation,  and  gave  an 
appropriate  recitation.  Such  were  the  speeches  — 
not  mere  formal  words  of  shallow  compliment, 
but  heartfelt  tributes  of  gratitude  and  love. 

THE    LETTERS 

During  the  course  of  the  evening  many  tele- 
grams and  letters  were  read  from  absent  friends.^ 
One  telegram  was  sent  by  the  two  hundred  mem- 
bers of  Grace  Church,  Rochester,  Minnesota, 
with  "  Christian  greetings  and  congratulations." 
There  were  letters  from  his  old  fellow-workers 
1  Some  of  these  will  be  found  in  the  Appendix. 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  205 

Di-s.  Montgomery  and  Saxe  ;  letters  from  Drs. 
Collyer,  and  Miner,  and  Cantwell,  and  Sawyer; 
from  President  Northrop,  of  the  State  Univer- 
sity; from  Drs.  Tiffany  and  Holman,  of  the 
Methodist  Church,  and  from  the  Episcopal  Bishop 
of  Indiana,  Dr.  J.  B.  Knickerbocker.  There  is 
only  room  here  for  the  beautiful  epistle  of  Bishop 
Knickerbocker : 

Many  thanks  for  your  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at 
your  twent}--fifth  anniversary  commemoration.  I  wish  it 
were  possible  for  me  to  be  present,  but  it  is  not.  With 
all  my  heart,  I  congratulate  you  on  having  reached  this 
important  way-mark  in  your  nuniijterial  life.  In  the  hurry 
and  change  which  distinguished  our  American  life,  few 
are  permitted  to  remain  at  their  posts  so  many  years,  and 
to  witness  the  good  results  of  patient  sowing  of  the  seed. 
You  have  been  greatly  blessed  in  having  your  lot  cast  in 
the  beautiful  and  growing  city  of  Minneapolis,  and  in 
having  an  appreciative  people  who  have  always  been 
ready  to  hold  up  your  hands  and  second  your  zealous 
efforts  on  their  behalf.  You  have  been  s})ared  to  see 
great  results  of  your  earnest  and  faithful  labors.  I 
should  love  to  be  Avith  you  on  this  verj'  hai)py  occasion ; 
my  relations  with  you  were  always  pleasant,  and  with 
many  of  your  good  people  I  had  delightful  social  inter- 
course. I  look  back  ujDon  the  twenty-seven  years  I  spent 
among  the  good  people  of  Minneapolis  with  unusual 
delight.  It  was  with  great  sorrow  I  parted  from  them. 
Wliat  wonderful  changes  have  taken  place  in  the  quarter 
of  a  centiuy  you  have  spent  in  Minneai^olis !  How  won- 
derfully has  the  cit\'  grown !  What  blessed  charities 
have  sprung  up,  and  how  generously  have  your  people 


206  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

aided  them  all !  What  progress  has  been  made,  too,  in 
Christian  unity  !  The  hearts  of  Christian  people  are  more 
dear  to  each  other,  as  they  are  dearer  towards  their  com- 
mon Lord  and  Savioiir.  May  God  hasten  the  time  when 
they  shall  all  see  eye  to  eye,  and  present  a  united  front 
against  all  that  is  evil.  What  sorrow,  too,  have  these 
twenty-five  years  brought  to  your  heart  and  home  !  Only 
Christian  faith  and  love  for  him  who  doeth  all  things  well, 
can  enable  us  to  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  and  look  for- 
ward with  blessed  hope  to  a  reunion  in  that  better  land 
where  there  shall  be  no  separation.  I  trust  you  may  be 
spared  to  celebrate  the  golden  wedding  with  your  beloved 
people,  and  that  health  and  prosperity  may  crown  your 


THE   PRESENTATION 

After  the  speeches  and  letters  in  the  audi- 
torium, the  audience  adjourned  for  an  informal 
reception  to  the  lecture-room  of  the  church,  which 
had  been  tastefully  decorated  for  the  occasion. 
Here  Mr.  Morrison  presented  Dr.  Tuttle  with  a 
marble  bust,  Tennyson's  Maine,  a  beautiful  work 
of  art  representing  a  character  drawn  by  the 
poet  he  loved  so  much.  The  doctor  was  then 
permitted  to  speak  for  himself,  and  when  he 
found  liis  voice  and  had  thanked  everybody,  he 
said:  "Occasionally,  I  thought  something  was 
dropped  to-night  that  referred  to  me.  But  most 
of  what  has  been  said  must  have  been  intended 
for  some  other  man.  It  does  not  belong  to  me. 
You  have  been  sketching  an  ideal  man  that  lives 


COMPLETION  OF  A   PASTORATE  207 

only  in  your  generous  hearts.  The  real  man  I 
know  to  be  quite  different."  Everybody  was 
happy ;  no  one  seemed  anxious  to  go,  and  some- 
where between  the  houis  of  twelve  and  one,  the 
last  guest  shook  the  doctor's  hand  and  bade  him 
good-morning.  One  of  the  daily  papers  com- 
mented upon  the  whole  occasion  in  terms  like 
these :  "  He  has  built  in  Minneapolis  a  monument 
of  good  works  that  will  survive  the  age  of  those 
which  live  in  brass  or  marble.  He  lives,  and  will 
always  live,  enshrined  in  grateful  hearts  and  ten- 
der memories.  In  all  this  city,  there  is  perhaps 
no  man  so  universally  honored  and  beloved.  In 
his  long  pastorate,  he  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
stir  up  no  strifes  or  divisions;  to  make  no  enemies. 
The  last  night's  services  in  his  honor  were  a 
spontaneous  demonstration  of  Minneapolis  citi- 
zens of  all  creeds,  all  professions,  all  walks  in  life. 
From  the  speeches,  the  applause,  the  general  tone 
of  feeling,  it  was  evident  that 

«  None  knew  him  but  to  love  him, 
None  named  him  but  to  praise.' " 

THE   ANGEL   FONT 

On  his  part.  Dr.  Tuttle  was  not  willing  to  let 
the  church  he  had  built,  and  the  work  he  had 
done,  be  his  only  memorial.  He  wished  to  make  a 
gift,  at  this  time,  that  would  be  for  the  church,  "  a 


208  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

thing  of  beauty  and  a  joy  forever."  He  found 
what  he  wanted  during  his  trip  to  Norway, 
which  has  been  related  in  the  previous  chapter. 
Together  with  his  friends  and  the  members  of  his 
family,  who  were  with  him  upon  that  journey,  he 
visited  the  Frue  Kirke,  in  Copenhagen.  Among 
the  other  statues  there,  wrought  in  marble  by  the 
genius  of  Thorwaldsen,  was  the  angel  with  the 
shell  to  hold  the  waters  of  baptism.  Gazing  upon 
the  pure  white  marble,  and  studying  the  exquisite 
outlines  of  the  kneeling  figure,  the  heart  of  Dr. 
Tuttle  was  filled  with  loving  memories  of  his  con- 
gregation at  home,  and  he  exclaimed,  "  That  is 
just  what  I  want  to  give  my  people  when  I  com- 
plete my  quarter  of  a  century  and  retire ! "  He 
spoke  of  the  plan  to  the  members  of  his  family 
who  were  there,  and  they  decided  that  it  must  be 
done ;  that  nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  and 
fitting  to  crown  his  ministry  and  seal  his  devotion 
to  the  church.  He  at  once  sought  out  the  Ameri- 
can consul,  and  found  that  the  sculptor  who  could 
best  execute  his  desire,  was  Prof.  Theobald  Stein, 
of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Arts,  in  Copenhagen. 
The  order  was  given.  The  marble  was  secured 
from  Carrara.  An  exact  copy  was  made  under  the 
direction  of  Professor  Stein ;  and  Thorwaldsen's 
angel  kneels  to-day  beside  the  altar  in  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer  —  the  parting  gift  of  its  pastor, 
the  perpetual  token  of  his  love ! 


CHAPTER    XIII 

THE   THIRD,    OR   TUTTLE,    CHURCH 

Dr.  Tuttle's  New  Plans  —  Sale  of  Cornell  Lots  and  New  Pur- 
chase —  Organization  and  History  of  the  Third  Society — 
The  Leadership  of  Dr.  Tuttle — Laying  a  Corner-stone  — 
Completion  and  Dedication  of  the  Building  —  Subsequent 
History  of  the  Tuttle  Church. 

The  completion  of  his  twenty-fifth  year  of  ser- 
vice in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  did  not  mean 
that  Dr.  Tuttle  intended  to  retire  completely  from 
the  pulpit  and  from  the  work  he  loved.  His  own 
people,  of  whom  he  was  now  Pastor  Emeritus, 
would  gladly  have  had  him  rest.  They  felt  that 
he  was  entitled  to  release  from  active  service. 
They  wanted  to  see  him  among  them  ;  they  wanted 
him  to  occujDy  his  accustomed  chair  in  the  pulpit, 
and  to  take  such  part  in  the  Sabbath  worship  as  he 
might  find  convenient,  or  simply  to  give  them  the 
benediction  of  his  presence.  But  it  was  not  so  to 
be.  Dr.  Tuttle  had  other  plans,  which  quickly 
developed.  He  felt  that  there  was  something  for 
him  to  do  in  another  field,  something  which  only 
he  could  do.  What  seemed  to  him,  and  to  others, 
a  forlorn  hope,  awaited  his  leadership  to  insure 
victory. 

209 


210  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

SALE  OF  THE  CORNELL  LOTS  AND  NEW  PURCHASE 

Mention  has  been  made,  in  a  previous  chapter, 
of  the  purchase  of  certain  lots  from  the  heirs  of 
Judge  Cornell  for  the  erection  of  a  mission  church, 
when  the  time  should  come.  It  ought  to  be  ex- 
plained that  the  funds  for  these  lots,  $500,  were 
raised  by  the  Ladies'  Social  Circle  of  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer.  This  was  the  occasion:  On 
October  26,  1880,  a  special  meeting  of  this  organ- 
ization of  ladies  was  called,  at  which  Mrs.  W. 
W.  Eastman  presided.  Dr.  Tuttle,  always  full  of 
the  real  missionary  spirit,  which  is  simply  the  de- 
sire to  extend  the  truth  we  have  tried  and  proved, 
appeared  before  the  society  and  spoke  to  them  of 
his  desire  to  establish  a  mission  church.  The 
society  pledged  f500,  and  this  amount,  a  year  or 
two  later,  was  paid  for  the  lots  already  mentioned. 
It  was  paid  through  the  trustees  of  the  church,  and 
the  title  was  held  by  them,  as  the  Ladies'  society 
was  not  incorporated.  These  lots  were  afterwards 
sold  for  13,000,  and  the  money  reinvested  in  two 
lots  at  the  corner  of  Blaisdell  avenue  and  Twenty- 
seventh  street.  Conditions  had  changed,  and  the 
prospect  for  a  third  Universalist  Church  seemed 
better  in  the  new  locality.  The  event  was  to 
prove  the  wisdom  of  the  later  purchase. 


THE  THIRD,  OR  TUTTLE,  CHURCH        211 
HISTORICAL   SKETCH   OF   THE   THIRD    SOCIETY 

The  Third  Universalist  Society  was  the  out- 
growth of  a  Sunday-school  opened  in  Chestnut 
Hall,  February  22, 1885.  The  Society  was  organ- 
ized May  5,  of  the  same  year,  with  the  following 
board  of  trustees  :  George  W.  Libby,  H.  J.  Hawes, 
J.  W.  Babb,  Captain  Christiansen,  and  Dr.  Conner. 
Chestnut  Hall  was  in  the  second  story  of  a  build- 
ing located  at  Twenty-sixth  street  and  Blaisdell 
avenue,  and  here  services  were  held  during  the 
remainder  of  the  year  1885.  The  following  year, 
the  congregation  moved  into  Avery  Hall,  just 
across  the  street.  The  services  held  in  these  halls, 
under  the  first  pastor,  Rev.  W.  R.  Dobbyn,  in- 
creased in  numbers  and  interest,  until  the  necessity 
for  a  building  of  their  own  became  impressed  upon 
the  Society.  A  neat  frame  chapel  was  built,  dur- 
ing 1886,  upon  the  lots  purchased  by  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer.  Mr.  Dobbyn  continued  as 
pastor,  until  September  1,  1887,  when  his  resigna- 
tion made  it  necessary  for  the  pulpit  to  be  supplied 
for  a  while  by  the  other  pastors  of  the  city.  This 
continued  until  January  1,  1889,  when  Rev.  Le 
Grand  Powers,  who,  up  to  this  time,  had  been 
pastor  of  All  Souls',  took  charge  of  the  new  Society. 
He  served  faithfully  and  successfully  for  two  years, 
and  was  followed  by  Rev.  Matt  Wing,  who  was 
installed    October   11,  1891.     His  pastorate  was 


212  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

very  brief,  and  again  the  Society  became  dependent 
upon  supplies  who  could  only  hold  meetings  Sun- 
day afternoons  —  an  unsatisfactory  arrangement, 
but  the  best  that  could  be  made. 

LEADERSHIP    OF   DR.    TUTTLE 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  Dr.  Tuttle  formed 
his  resolution.  Feeling  that  the  work  was  not 
progressing  as  it  should,  and  realizing  that  some- 
thing better  in  the  way  of  a  house  of  worship  was 
needed  for  that  community,  he  took  hold  of  the 
enterprise.  He  wished  to  get  the  Society  better 
organized  and  to  secure  an  adequate  building. 
So  he  went  out  from  the  celebration  of  his  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  at  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  threw  himself  with  all  the  ardor  and  enthusi- 
asm of  youth  into  the  work.  The  hour  of  holding 
service  was  changed  back  to  the  morning,  and 
every  Sunday,  at  10.30,  he  stood  in  the  pulpit. 
During  the  week  he  visited  among  the  people, 
encouraging  them  to  believe  in  the  possibility  of 
great  things,  and  among  his  friends  in  the  Church 
of  the  Redeemer  and  in  the  city,  he  personally 
solicited  financial  aid  in  his  undertaking.  He 
would  accept  no  remuneration  —  simply  requiring 
that  a  certain  amount  be  raised  by  the  congrega- 
tion every  Sunday,  and  held  by  the  treasurer  for 
the  coming  temple.  Not  only  would  he  not 
accept  a  penny  of  pay,  but  no  one  will  ever  know 


THE  THIRD,  OR   TUTTLE,  CHURCH        213 

how  many  hundreds  of  dollars,  from  first  to  last, 
he  paid  out  of  his  own  pocket  to  build  the  house 
upon  which  he  had  set  his  heart. 

LAYING   THE   CORNER-STONE 

By  July  13,  1893,  everything  was  ready  for 
the  laying  of  the  corner-stone,  on  whose  front, 
the  Society  decided,  must  be  carved  the  name 
of  Dr.  Tuttle.  The  ceremony  was  performed 
by  the  Masonic  Fraternity.  An  account  of  the 
proceedings  in  one  of  the  daily  papers  says: 
"  The  day  was  perfect  in  brightness,  and,  although 
warm,  was  rendered  comfortable  by  a  stirring 
breeze.  The  procession,  which  formed  on  Henne- 
pin avenue,  near  Masonic  Temple,  comprised  the 
officers  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  Masonic  order, 
numerous  subordinate  organizations  of  this  city 
and  St.  Paul,  and  visiting  brethren  from  various 
other  lodges  of  the  State.  Knights  Templar  formed 
the  escort,  and  were  dressed  in  all  the  splendor  of 
their  rank,  with  sword  and  cap  and  gloves.  The 
officers  of  the  grand  lodge  and  the  Master  Masons 
wore  the  regalia  of  their  respective  positions.  All 
in  all,  it  was  an  imposing  sight."  A  great  crowd, 
thousands  of  people,  had  gathered  around  the  tem- 
porary platform  on  which  the  ceremonies  took 
place  and  from  which  the  addresses  were  made. 
In  introducing  Right  Worshipful  Grand  Master 
Dickinson,  Dr.  Tuttle  said : 


214  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

This  church  is  not  to  be  erected  in  opposition  to  any 
other  church  in  this  neighborhood,  but  it  is  to  be  bmlt  rather 
as  a  helper  to  other  churches,  as  another  working  member 
in  the  brotherhood  of  churches.  This  is  to  be  a  church  of 
which  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  real 
corner-stone.  It  is  to  be  a  religious  home  of  all  classes 
of  people  who  may  choose  to  come.  It  is  to  be  a  refuge 
for  the  weary ;  a  fountain  of  comfort  for  the  aflO^icted ;  a 
lio-ht  to  those  who  have  been  walking  in  darkness  ;  a  de- 
fense for  the  truth  and  for  human  rights  of  all  kinds  ;  an 
advocate  for  all  righteous  reforms ;  a  rebuking  voice 
against  evil  and  sin.  These  people  hope,  therefore,  to 
have  and  to  deserve  the  good  will  and  sympathy  of  all 
good  men  and  women. 

The  corner-stone  contained  a  copy  of  the  Holy 
Bible  ;  a  copy  of  The  Field  and  the  Fruit,  by 
Dr.  Tuttle ;  Justice  and  Mercy,  by  Mr.  Shutter ; 
copies  of  the  Universalist  Banner,  and  Leader, 
the  Church  News;  Minneapolis  papers,  Tri- 
bune, Times,  and  Journal;  order  of  the  day; 
Masonic  official  records ;  history  and  picture 
of  the  church,  names  of  subscribers  to  building 
fund,  and  cards  of  Sunday-school  children  who 
contributed.  After  the  stone  had  been  put  in  po- 
sition, prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  L.  D.  Boynton, 
Right  Worshipful  Grand  Chaplain;  music  was 
furnished  by  the  Masonic  Quartet,  and  the  oration 
was  delivered,  by  the  writer  of  this  book,  upon  the 
"  Lessons  of  the  Corner-stone."  In  the  course  of 
his  address,  he  paid  the  following  tribute  to  the 


THE   THIRD,  OR    TUTTLE,  CHURCH        215 

man  so  venerated  and  beloved  who  had  made  the 
whole  undertaking  possible : 

The  lessons  taught  by  this  ceremony  are  appropriate  to 
the  occasion.  They  are  to  be  taught  perpetually  within 
the  walls  that  are  rising  before  us.  This  house  is  to  be 
dedicated  to  the  work  of  building  character.  Whatever  in- 
strumentalities may  be  used,  whatever  methods  may  be 
employed,  whatever  ideas  may  be  inculcated,  whatever  in- 
fluence may  be  brought  to  bear,  the  sole  aim  of  all  will  be 
to  bring  men  to  the  "  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  full- 
ness" of  that  wonderful  life  which  we  still  and  always 
believe  to  be  the  best  that  has  been  lived  upon  this  planet. 
These  lessons  are  also  appropriate  to  the  occasion,  because 
the  man  whose  honored  name  graces  the  front  of  this  cor- 
ner-stone has  himself  exemplified  them,  lo !  these  many 
years,  before  this  community.  That  name  is  synonymous 
with  "brotherly  kindness  and  charity,"  with  uprightness 
and  integrity.  This  enterprise  is  itself  a  testimony  to  his 
spirit  of  self-sacrifice  for  the  good  of  others,  and  the  ad- 
vancement of  a  cause  in  which  he  believes  with  all  his  heart. 
Its  completion  will  add  another  to  the  noble  achievements 
which  stand  like  monuments  along  his  pathway,  and  we 
shall  all  most  heartily  trust  that  the  "  end  is  not  yet." 

' '  And  stay  thou  with  us  long !  vouchsafe  us  long 
This  brave  autumnal  presence,  ere  the  hues 
Low-fading,  ere  the  quaver  of  thy  voice, 
The  twilight  of  thine  eye,  move  men  to  ask 
Where  hides  the  chariot  ?  in  what  sunset  vale 
Beyond  thy  chosen  river,  champ  the  steeds 
That  wait  to  bear  thee  skyward  ?  " 

May  the  wheels  of  that  chariot  tarry  long  before  the 
steeds  rush  upward  along  the  king's  highway  to  the  bright, 
eternal  stars  and  the  jeweled  gates  beyond ! 


216  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 


FROM    CORNER-STONE   TO    COMPLETION 

In  less  than  a  year  from  the  laying  of  the  corner- 
stone, the  building  had  arisen  upon  it,  and  stood 
complete  and  ready  for  dedication.  It  was,  and  is, 
a  beautiful  structure.  The  stained  glass  windows 
were  the  gift  of  Dr.  George  Montgomery  Tuttle. 
Decorations  and  furnishings  were  in  perfect  har- 
mony. Many  of  the  furnishings  had  been  presented 
by  personal  friends  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  some  of 
whom  belonged  to  other  denominations.  On  June 
10,  1894,  the  dedication  services  were  held. 
Dr.  Tuttle  spoke  briefly,  sa3dng  that  "  everyone  had 
been  generous  and  kind.  Almost  everything  done 
for  the  church  had  been  a  labor  of  love.  They 
never  could  have  accomplished  the  task  themselves. 
Thanks,  that  could  not  be  expressed  in  words,  were 
due  to  the  outside  people  who  had  extended  a 
helping  hand.  The  Church  of  the  Redeemer  had 
always  been  a  substantial  friend,  and  the  pastor  had 
always  said  a  good  word  and  extended  encourage- 
ment, in  the  hours  when  it  appeared  as  if  the  clouds 
were  growing  very  dark  and  could  not  be  dispelled. 
He  thanked  Dr.  Shutter,  the  Ladies'  Society  of  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer,  which  had  contributed 
$1,000,  and  all  others  for  their  help  and  sympathy." 
He  himself  had  composed  the  hymn  for  the  occa- 
sion.    Following  is  the  order : 


THE  THIRD.  OR   TUTTLE,  CHURCH        217 

1.  Organ  Prelude. 

2.  Choir  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer. 

3.  Invocation Rev.  M.  Wing. 

The  Lord's  Prayer    ....    Congregation  joining. 

4.  Choir. 

5.  Responsive  Reading      .     .     Rev.  W.  H.  Harrington. 

6.  Choir. 

7.  Scripture  Lesson Rev.  S.  W.  Sample. 

8.  Hymn,  by  J.  H.  Tuttle.     Read  by  Rev.  A.  Dellgren  : 

Father,  our  house  is  builded  now. 

Thy  altar  here  is  raised ; 
Let  every  heart  before  Thee  bow. 

Thy  mighty  Name  be  praised. 

In  faith  we  planned,  in  faith  we  wrought, 

And  Thou  on  all  didst  smile ; 
The  Saviour  led  our  act  and  thought. 

And  gave  us  strength  the  while. 

Our  hope,  dear  Lord,  is  crowned  to-day, 

Our  waiting  purpose  filled ; 
Thy  blessed  presence  lights  the  way, 

Our  minds  with  joy  are  thrilled. 

Wilt  Thou  accept  this  temple-gift, 

Here  make  Thy  dwelling-place  ? 
In  holy  peace  our  souls  uplift, 

In  love  our  souls  embrace  ? 

Here  teach  us  how  to  pray,  to  live. 

To  make  our  deeds  divine  ; 
To  suffer,  trust,  to  love,  to  give. 

To  be  forever  Thine. 

9.  Dedicatory   Sermon,  Rev.  Marion  D.  Shutter.      Ad- 

dresses by  Rev.  H.  M.  Simmons,   and  Pres.  Cyrus 
Northrop,  of  the  State  University. 


218  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

10.  Choir. 

11.  Dedicatory  Prayer       ....     Rev.  L,  G.  Powers. 

12.  Hymn: 

O  !  Thou  whose  own  vast  temple  stands 

Built  over  earth  and  sea, 
Accept  tlie  walls  that  human  hands 

Have  raised  to  worship  Thee. 

13.  Sentence  of  Dedication. 

Minister  —  And  now,  in  the  presence  of  this  people, 
invoking  the  guidance  and  blessing  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  I  do  solemnly  set  apart  and  dedicate  this 
house  to  the  worship  of  God  the  Father,  and  to  the 
ministry  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  His  Son. 

Mijiistar  and  People  —  Now,  therefore,  O  Lord  God, 
arise  into  thy  resting  place,  tiiou  and  the  ark  of  thy 
strength.  Let  thy  ministers  be  clothed  with  salva- 
tion ;  and  let  thy  people  rejoice  in  thy  goodness. 

14.  Doxology. 
16.   Benediction. 

The  theme  of  the  dedication  sermon  was  the 
"  Higher  Knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ."  Then  fol- 
lowed the  brilliant  address  of  Rev.  Henry  M. 
Simmons,  of  the  First  Unitarian  Church,  on  "  Unity 
in  Diversity."  In  closing,  he  hoped  "  that  the  new 
building  would  be  devoted  to  the  preaching  of 
peace  and  brotherhood;  that  Dr.  Tuttie  would  be 
looked  upon  as  the  special  pontiff  of  the  eighth 
ward ;  and  that  the  new  church  would  stand  among 
the  other  good  works,  as  a  worthy  memorial  to  Dr. 
Tuttle's  name."  Pres.  Cyrus  Northrop,  of  the 
State  University,  always  captivating  upon  the  plat- 


THE  THIRD,   OR   TUTTLE,   CHURCH        219 

form,  said,  that  "  if  he  had  been  invited  to  attend 
the  dedication  of  a  Universalist  Church,  he  would 
probably  have  done  so,  could  he  have  arranged  the 
matter ;  but  when  they  put  Tuttle  before  Univer- 
salist, he  would  come  any  way.  We  all  know  a 
Christian  when  we  see  him,  and  Dr.  Tuttle  carries 
in  his  heart  the  spirit  of  Christ."  After  the  ser- 
vice, "  the  congregation  gathered  around  the 
pulpit  to  congratulate  Dr.  Tuttle,  who  was,  beyond 
question,  the  happiest  man  in  all  that  gathering,  at 
seeing  the  completion  of  a  cherished  hope."  The 
task  he  had  undertaken  was  accomplished  ;  and  with 
this  achievement  closes  his  active  career  in  the 
pulpit,  and  as  a  builder  of  churches.  Something 
else  he  had  in  mind — a  similar  undertaking —  but 
it  was  not  given  him  even  to  make  the  attempt.  Had 
not  the  disabling  stroke  fallen  upon  him  so  soon, 
there  would  doubtless  be  another  edifice  of  the 
same  kind  to  endear  his  memory  to  another  con- 
gregation. It  was  not  so  ordained.  Another 
ministry  of  a  different  sort  was  decreed  him.  He 
who  had  served  so  many  years,  through  strength, 
and  activity,  and  speech,  was  soon  to  minister 
through  suffering  and  patient  endurance.  Who 
knows  but  that  the  latter  is  the  higher  and  diviner 
service  ?  —  that  with  him  it  was  the  completion 
and  crown  of  the  former,  the  supreme  expression 
of  his  faith  in  God,  and  his  confidence  in  the 
eternal  love  and  justice  ? 


220  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

SUBSEQUENT   HISTORY 

It  is  the  aim  of  this  sketch,  as  in  the  chapter  on 
the  Second  or  All  Souls'  Church,  to  speak  mainly 
of  the  agency  of  Dr.  Tuttle ;  but  here  again  his 
interest  continued  unbroken  to  the  very  end.  He 
was  so  anxious  that  those  who  followed  him  should 
succeed !  He  sent  them  messages  of  encouragement ; 
he  continued  his  financial  aid  to  the  expenses  of 
the  church ;  he  sought  to  enlist  the  cooperation  of 
others.  Wherever  he  was,  he  carried  the  church 
upon  his  heart.  He  was  depressed  when  any  one 
spoke  in  tones  of  discouragement ;  he  was  filled  with 
joy  when  any  one  reported  progress.  The  pastor 
who  came  first  after  the  dedication  was  Rev.  John 
Murray  Atwood,  son  of  his  old-time  friend,  Dr.  Isaac 
M.  Atwood.  He  came  in  the  opening  years  of  his 
ministry,  a  young  man,  well-furnished,  earnest,  and 
devoted  to  his  work.  It  was  no  easy  place  for  one 
just  on  the  threshold  of  his  profession  —  follow- 
ing one  of  the  greatest  preachers  of  the  denomina- 
tion ;  but  with  splendid  courage  and  signal  ability 
he  kept  on,  growing  and  developing  every  year,  till 
he  was  called  back  to  the  East,  where  he  is  now, 
the  loved  and  successful  pastor  of  the  Second 
Church,  of  Portland,  Me.  He  was  followed  by 
Rev.  Randall  H.  Aldrich,  who  had  built  several 
churches  in  Maine,  and  whose  praise  was  on  the 
lips  of  his  people.     They  parted  with  him  reluc- 


THE  THIRD,  OR   TUTTLE,   CHURCH        221 

tantly  at  the  call  of  the  West.  A  man  of  singularly 
beautiful  and  consecrated  spirit,  he  faithfully 
served  the  Tuttle  church  for  two  years,  and  his 
influence  will  long  be  felt. 

REV.   A.    K.    TILLINGHAST 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  A.  R.  Tillinghast, 
came  the  first  day  of  March,  1903.  He  had  built 
up  at  Waterloo,  during  a  pastorate  of  six  or  seven 
years,  the  strongest  Universahst  Church  in  the 
state  of  Iowa.  It  was  felt  by  all  who  knew  him 
that  he  was  just  the  man  for  this  important  field 
in  the  metropoHs  of  the  Northwest.  At  this  writ- 
ing, he  has  completed  his  third  year,  and  the  church 
has  taken  on  new  life  in  all  its  departments. 
Through  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  H.  H.  Kimball,  an 
organ  has  been  placed  in  the  niche  reserved  for  it 
at  the  time  of  dedication,  and  the  building  has 
been  thoroughly  renovated  and  refurnished.  Plans 
for  enlargement  are  under  way.  The  young  peo- 
ple are  organized  and  at  work.  The  finances  of 
the  Society  have  been  revised  and  a  new  system 
put  in  operation.  The  congregations  are  the  largest 
that  have  ever  gathered  —  often  taxing  the  audi- 
torium to  its  utmost  capacity.  To  the  power  of 
strong  and  vital  speech  in  the  pulpit,  Mr.  Tilling- 
hast adds  the  qualities  of  an  able  administrator. 
The  outlook  for  the  Tuttle  Church  is  bright,  and 
its  future  seems  assured. 


222  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

Dr.  Tuttle  heard  the  news  of  his  success  with 
delight;  and,  under  date  of  January  21,  1903,  he 
writes  from  New  York  to  Mrs.  Hannah  Taylor : 

I  am  glad  Dr.  Shutter  exchanged  with  Mr.  Tillinghast, 
and  that  you  heard  the  latter ;  he  seems  to  be  the  right 
man  for  the  Tuttle  church,  for  which  I  am  delighted.  I 
have  had  faith  in  that  church,  but  have  been  sometimes  a 
little  discouraged.  I  feel  encouraged  now.  All  our 
churches  in  Minneapolis,  and  the  one  in  St.  Paul,  Dr. 
Shutter  thinks,  are  doing  well. 

A  little  later,  to  the  author,  he  wrote : 

I  thank  you  for  your  letter  and  for  the  report  of  the 
Tuttle  church.  I  rejoice  that  the  latter  has  done,  is 
doing,  so  well.  I  feel  relieved  regarding  the  church.  I 
hear  from  it  frequently,  and  always  good  news. 

The  following  Spring  and  Summer  he  spent,  as 
usual,  at  the  lake,^  and  frequently  communicated 
with  Mr.  Tillinghast.  Before  going  back  to  New 
York,  in  the  Fall,  he  came  in  and  looked  through 
the  renovated  church.  From  Loafden,  October 
16,  he  wrote  to  Mrs.  Shutter: 

I  was  in  town,  for  the  first  and  only  time  this  season, 
on  Tuesday.  I  wanted  to  call,  to  get  at  least  a  glimpse  of 
you,  but  1  had  not  a  penny's  time  with  which  to  purchase 
the  golden  opportunity.  I  had  several  times  disappointed 
Mrs.  Edwards  in  my  attempts  to  lunch  there,  and  thought 
I  must  go  to  her,  if  anywhere.  I  did  not  reach  there  — 
went  in  my  automobile  —  until  12  M.,  and  I  waited  until  3 
for  John  to  come.  Mr.  Tillinghast  was  telephoned,  and 
he  kindly  came  over,  bringing  the  key  to  Tuttle  church.  I 
got  a   moments  look  into  the  latter,  and  left  for  home 

'  Minnetonka. 


THE  THIRD,  OR   TUTTLE,  CHURCH       223 

somewhat  excited,  nervous,  and  weary.  .  .  .  The  Tattle 
church,  by  the  cushions  and  the  organ,  has  been  amazingly 
improved.  I  was  delighted,  but  was  too  much  wrought 
up  to  tell  Mr.  Tillinghast  so. 

In  closing  this  chapter,  the  writer  is  permitted 
to  use  portions  of  another  letter,  which  show  Dr. 
Tuttle's  deep  and  lasting  affection  for  the  church. 
It  is  dated  October  30,  1903,  and  was  written  to 
Mrs.  H.  H.  Kimball.  Recalling  the  visit  of  which 
he  spoke  in  the  other  letter  just  quoted,  he  con- 
tinues : 

Mr.  Tillinghast  came,  and  I  had  a  glimpse  of  the  church, 
and  but  a  glimpse.  I  did  not  examine  it  as  thoroughly  as 
I  wanted  to  ;  .  .  .  but  even  the  partial  look  I  had  pleased 
me  very  much.  Beautiful  church  !  I  do  not  know  a  more 
beautiful  of  its  kind.  The  cushions  and  organ  have  im- 
proved it  amazingly  —  the  organ  particularly.  The  organ 
front  is  fine  —  much  finer  than  I  expected,  and  larger.  I 
could  not  —  I  was  so  excited  —  tell  Mr.  Tillinghast  how 
pleased  I  was.  ...  I  thank  you  sincerely  for  the  grand 
things  you  have  done  there.  I  am  deeply  interested  in 
that  church,  as  you  know,  gave  toward  it  more  than  I  was 
able,  worked  for  it,  prayed  for  it,  and  cairied  it  on  my 
heart  and  mind.  I  was,  sometimes,  a  little  discouraged, 
things  went  so  hard  and  slow ;  and  yet  I  always  believed 
that  the  church  was  needed,  that  it  was  favorably  located, 
and  that  it  would  some  day  fill  as  important  a  place  as  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer.  Well,  it  seems  prospering 
now;  its  prospects  never  before  looked  so  bright,  and 
much  of  it  is  owing  to  you,  and  it  must  be  a  great  satis- 
faction to  you.  I  feel  confident  now  that  the  church  is  to 
go  forward,  until  it  becomes  an  important  factor  among 
the  churches  of  the  city. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

LOOKING    TOWARD   THE   SUNSET 

In  New  York  —  Reminiscences  of  Dr.  Chapiu  —  Dr.  Eaton  — 
Heber  Newton  —  Anecdote  of  Robert  Collyer  —  Beginning 
of  the  End  —  Trip  to  Alaska  —  Church  Reception  —  Review- 
ing the  Summer— A  Bundle  of  Letters  —  Dr.  Eaton's 
Euneral  —  The  Second  Stroke  —  The  Last  Year  —  Letters  to 
Mrs.  Hallowell,  Mrs.  Shutter,  and  Miss  Cleveland  —  The 
Last  Letter  —  At  the  Gates. 

After  waiting  to  see  the  pastor  of  Tuttle 
Church,  Rev.  John  Murray  Atwood,  firmly  estab- 
lished in  his  new  charge,  Dr.  Tuttle  went  to  New 
York  to  spend  a  little  time  with  his  son,  before 
embarking  upon  any  other  venture  in  the  way 
of  church  building.  The  Autumn  and  Winter  of 
1895-96,  he  passed  in  the  metropolis.  On  Sundays, 
he  visited  the  prominent  churches  and  listened  to 
the  eminent  men  who  filled  their  pulpits.  "  Fifty 
years  of  confinement  to  my  own  pulpit,"  he  says, 
"  my  own  voice,  and  my  own  ways  of  conducting 
religious  services,  must  have  left  me  with  some- 
what narrow  views  in  such  matters.  It  has,  at 
least,  helped  to  give  novelty,  pleasure,  and  profit, 
perhaps,  to  the  opportunity  I  occasionally  have  of 
attending  other  churches,  even  those  outside  of  our 
224 


VIEWS   AT   LOAFDEN. 


LOOKING  TOWARD   THE  SUNSET         225 

denomination."  Interesting  sketches  of  his  experi- 
ences and  observations  appeared,  from  time  to 
time,  in  the  denominational  papers. 

REMINISCENCES    OF    DR.     CHAPIN 

When  he  attended  the  Church  of  the  Divine 
Paternity,  which  the  great  orator,  Edwin  H. 
Chapin,  had  made  famous,  iie  notes  that  his  son's 
coachman,  who  drove  him  to  the  doors,  had  form- 
erly been  the  coachman  of  the  wonderful  preacher. 
"As  he  shot  along  Fifth  avenue  and  landed  me 
in  front  of  the  church,  I  naturally  thought  of  the 
many  times  he  had  driven  Dr.  Chapin  there,  then 
whirled  away  to  wait,  to  return,  to  bring  the  great 
man  home  again.  This  time  he  had  left  only  an 
humble  hearer  at  the  steps,  a  stranger  whom 
scarcely  one  in  the  house  would  know ;  but  one, 
nevertheless,  who  might  feel  that  he  had  a  special 
right  there,  because  Dr.  Chapin's  old  coachman  had 
brought  him  ;  and  more,  because  of  his  admiring 
remembrances  of  Dr.  Chapin  himself.  ...  I 
heard  Dr.  Chapin  often  in  his  best  days,  on  the 
lecture  platform  and  in  the  pulpit,  and  I  could 
almost  imagine  him  standing  up  in  his  old  place, 
facing  his  large  audience,  reading  his  hymns  and 
his  Scriptures  with  a  force  and  beauty  of  intonation 
seldom  lieard,  bearing  the  people  heavenward  on 
his  uplifting  prayer,  swaying  and  charming  them 


226  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

into  ecstasy  of  feeling  by  his  splendid  eloquence 
and  poetic  images.  The  contrast  between  Dr. 
Chapin,  as  I  remembered  him,  and  the  man  who 
actually  occupied  the  pulpit,  on  this  occasion,  was 
marked,  though  it  cast  no  belittling  reflection  upon 
the  latter.  Dr.  Eaton's  decided  ability  as  pastor 
and  preacher  has  been  amply  attested  by  the  hand- 
some success  he  has  achieved  in  his  continued 
charge  of  that  parish.  Dr.  Chapin  was  physically 
stout  and  thick-set,  and  he  wore  a  full  beard ;  Dr. 
Eaton  though  not  thin,  is  rather  slight  and  deli- 
cate in  figure,  and  has  a  fair  complexion.  .  .  . 
Dr.  Chapin  used  a  manuscript  always  in  preach- 
ing, and  was,  with  momentary  exceptions,  closely, 
though  not  objectionably,  confined  to  it.  Dr. 
Eaton  has  never  appeared  to  have  a  manuscript  in 
sight.  His  voice  is  pleasant,  winsome,  but  not 
powerful.  His  manner  is  polished.  He  indulges 
in  no  startling  attitudes,  and  is  moderate  in  his 
gestures.  His  style  is  not,  by  any  means,  dull  or 
commonplace,  and  yet  it  is  not  strained,  nor  in  the 
least  bit  sensational.  He  succeeds,  which  is  the 
main  thing,  I  suspect,  in  holding  the  attention  of 
his  listeners,  in  satisfying  their  intelligence,  and  in 
stirring  their  emotions,  not  by  boisterous,  or  vehe- 
ment, or  surprising  oratory,  but  by  bold,  diaphanous 
reasoning,  sprinkled  with  frequent,  well-chosen 
illustrations." 


LOOKING  TOWARD   THE  SUNSET         227 


HEBER  NEWTON 

Reviewing  the  service  he  attended  at  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church,  corner  of  Fourth  avenue 
and  Sixty-sixth  street,  Dr.  Tuttle  says :  "  Dr. 
Newton  achieved  considerable  notoriety,  a  decade 
and  more  ago,  by  what  were  generally  deemed  very 
radical  utterances,  and  by  placing  his  orthodoxy 
under  grave  suspicions.  The  air,  hereabouts,  was 
thick  with  rumors  concerning  him,  and  many 
thought  they  saw  a  threatening  sword  impending 
over  his  denominational  relations.  The  opposition, 
however,  though  it  kept  up  a  lively  agitation  for  a 
time,  stopped  short  of  expulsion.  His  congrega- 
tions increased,  his  sayings  flew  abroad,  his  fame 
grew,  and  he  appeared  to  gain  as  many  friends 
outside  as  he  lost  inside  the  pale  of  the  Episcopal 
Church.  .  .  .  Judging  from  what  I  saw  and 
heard  last  Sunday,  I  conclude  that  his  influence 
has  not  perceptibly  ebbed.  The  house,  not  a  large 
one,  was  completely  filled  with  very  substantial 
looking  people.  How  many  were  drawn  there,  as 
I  was,  by  the  topic, '  The  Creed  of  Christ,'  which 
the  newspapers  announced,  I  do  not  know.  .  .  . 
The  sermon,  for  an  Episcopal  pulpit,  was  unique, 
and,  for  most  Episcopal  pulpits,  impossible.  Such 
a  sermon,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  if  preached 
by  a  Universalist,  would  have  suggested  heresy  to 
his  hearers.     The  speaker  said,  '  We  have  left  us, 


228  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

not  the  Lord's  Creed,  but  the  Lord's  Prayer. 
Christ  never,  in  any  instance,  formulated  a  belief  — 
none,  at  least,  more  than  we  have  in  the  two  words, 
'  Our  Father.'  Then,  with  a  rising  voice  and  a 
swelling  energy,  the  speaker  dilated  upon  the  sur- 
prising inconsistency,  the  religious  crime  even  — 
in  view  of  the  plain,  incontestable  fact  that  Christ 
had  no  creed  —  which  Christians,  in  all  ages,  have 
shown,  in  insisting  on  so  many  creeds  and  such 
long  ones,  in  wasting  so  much  time  in  discussing 
them:  yea,  in  quarreling  over  them,  making  them 
conditions  of  church  membership  and  future  sal- 
vation. His  condemnation  of  creed-making  and 
creed-building  seemed  so  strange  to  me  in  such  a 
place,  that  I  almost  stopped  at  times  to  prick  my 
consciousness  to  ascertain  if  I  were  not  dreaming, 
or  if  I  had  not,  by  a  singular  mistake,  dropped  into 
the  presence  of  one  of  the  most  radical  preachers 
in  the  land.  And  yet,  the  tone  and  maimer  were 
impressively  reverent.  There  was  nothing  of  the 
flippant,  skeptical  air  about  him.  '  If  Christ,'  he 
continued,  'who  was  our  teacher,  our  guide,  our 
example,  could  do  without  a  form  of  belief,  and 
saw  no  necessity  of  providing  mankind  with  one, 
why  should  we  be  so  anxious  to  adopt  one,  to  force 
one  upon  everybody?  Creeds  are  well  enough  as 
expressing  our  opinions,  as  embodiments  of  human 
speculations,  but  they  should  never  be  deemed 
mandatory.     They  should  never  be  thrust    upon 


LOOKING   TOWARD   THE  SUNSET         229 

people,  should  never  be  required  as  tests  of  Chiis- 
tian  wisdom  and  Christian  character.'"  In  re- 
flecting upon  the  sermon,  Dr.  Tuttle  concludes: 
"  To  have  a  creed  is  one  thing,  to  force  it  upon 
others,  to  make  it  a  test  of  one's  character,  or  of 
one's  fitness  for  Heaven,  is  quite  another  thing. 
I  do  not  see  how  we  can  dispense  with  creeds  ;  but 
I  think  I  can  see  how  we  could,  if  we  would,  dis- 
pense with  bigotry  and  uncharitableness." 

ANECDOTE    OF    ROBERT    COLLYER 

Among  the  visits  that  Dr.  Tuttle  made,  at  this 
time,  was  one  to  the  Church  of  the  Messiah, 
where  his  old  Chicago  colleague,  Robert  Collyer, 
was  preaching.  As  he  sat  and  listened,  his  mind 
went  back  over  the  past:  among  other  incidents, 
he  recalled  one  connected  with  the  great  Chicago 
fire.     Dr.  Tuttle  says : 

I  hastened  from  Minneapolis  to  Chicago,  anxious,  and 
yet  dreading,  to  meet  my  many  friends  there.  What  a 
sight !  I  can  never  forget  the  awful  —  the  appalling  — 
picture  that  met  my  sight.  The  Church  of  the  Redeemer, 
my  old  Chicago  church,  had  been  converted  into  a  store- 
house for  charities,  food  and  clothing,  and  ministering 
angels.  We  drove  to  the  North  side.  Congregations  were 
gathering  in  tears  on  the  street,  and  round  the  fronts  of 
their  burned  churches,  to  hold  some  kind  of  a  brief  ser- 
vice. Robert  Collyer  had  made  a  pulpit  of  the  stone 
steps  of  his  crushed  and  charred  temple,  and  was  reading, 
with  a  choked  voice,  as  we  came  near,  appropriate  pas- 


230  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

sages  of  Scripture  to  his  heart-broken  people.  Then  he 
read  a  hymn,  and  the  crowd  sang,  or  tried  to.  Then 
he  prayed  —  I  remember  much  of  that  remarkable  prayer. 
It  was  a  deep,  quiet  outpouring  of  sorrow ;  a  simple, 
direct,  honest  talk  with  God  by  an  overburdened  soul,  a 
soul  now  sinking  in  the  valley  of  despair,  now  rising  on 
the  mount  of  hope,  now  turbulent  with  vmcontrolled  emo- 
tion, now  comparatively  calm  and  placid.  The  prayer 
was  so  strangely  intermixed  with  pathos  and  quaintness, 
that  it  swung  us,  sometimes,  from  tears  to  almost  silent 
laughter ;  and  yet  the  smile  he  caused  by  his  curious  ex- 
pressions, instead  of  lessening  the  solemnity  of  the  scene, 
only  served,  like  lightning  in  the  night,  to  make  it  more 
visible.  He  said,  "  O  Lord,  this  is  a  sorrowful  hour  to  iis 
all.  Our  beautiful  church,  where  we  have  worshiped 
Thee  and  taken  sweet  counsel  together  so  often,  is  now  a 
heap  of  ashes.  We,  thy  j^oor,  helpless  children,  assembled 
here  by  these  mournful  ruins,  look  up  to  Thee.  O,  our 
Father,  pity  us.  O  Lord,  we  have  been  to  Thee  many 
times  in  our  troubles,  in  what  we  thought  were  our  troubles, 
and  which  were  no  troubles  at  all ;  but,  O  Lord,  Thou  hast 
got  us  this  time !  " 

THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE   END 

In  these,  and  other  delightful  ways,  was  Dr. 
Tuttle  enjoying  his  well-earned  and  well-deserved 
leisure,  when  a  terrible  blow,  swift  and  sudden, 
fell  upon  him,  and  for  a  time,  at  least,  laid  him 
aside  from  all  the  activities  of  life.  Never  again 
was  he  to  stand  in  the  pulpit ;  never  again  was 
his  voice  to  be  heard  in  public.  All  work  of  that 
kind  was  done  forever.     Plans  he  had  hoped  to 


LOOKING  TOWARD   THE  SUNSET  231 

carry  out  must  be  abandoned.  The  future  Avas 
all  changed.  Like  his  great  Master,  henceforth 
he  is  to  be  "  made  perfect  through  suffering." 
These  were  the  circumstances :  One  evening  in 
April,  1896,  after  meeting  some  of  his  Minne- 
apolis friends  at  dinner,  and  enjoying  himself  in 
their  society  with  his  usual  zest,  he  retired  to  his 
room  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and,  apparently,  in  the 
best  of  health.  The  following  letter  from  his  son, 
dated  April  27,  1896,  tells  the  rest: 

My  dear  Mr.  Shutter  :  Father  has  expressed  a  wish 
that  I  should  write  you  in  his  behalf  and  tell  you  of  his 
rapid  and  gratifying  progress  toward  recovery.  I  am  glad 
to  do  this  and  to  give  you  direct  and  definite  information 
in  regard  to  him,  knowing  that  you  can  make  use  of  it  to 
answer  the  inquiries  of  many  of  his  friends  who,  probably, 
expect  to  receive  reliable  news  of  him  from  you.  When 
he  was  first  stricken,  we  feared  that  he  might  be  cripi^led 
for  life,  and,  perhaps,  even  unable  to  speak  again.  Fortu- 
nately the  hemorrhage  into  the  brain  was  a  very  light  one, 
and  will,  probably,  leave  few,  if  any,  traces  in  the  shape  of 
permanent  injury  to  any  of  his  powers  or  functions.  He 
already  has  regained  the  power  of  speech,  and  talks  with 
fluency  and  ease,  with  only,  occasionally,  a  little  hesitation 
and  with  a  slight  thickness  in  his  enunciation  of  certain 
words.  He  can  walk  unaided,  rise  from  his  chair,  or  sit 
down  in  it,  without  help,  and  even  moves  the  affected  arm 
somewhat,  although  this  member  is  always  tlie  slowest 
and  last  j^art  to  recover.  There  is  every  ground  for 
hoping  that  he  will  recover  entirely,  except  for  some  im- 
pairment in  the  power  of  the  right  arm  and  hand,  which 
is  rarely  regained  completely  in  such  cases.     While  real- 


232  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

izing  fully,  from  the  first,  the  significance  of  his  misfor- 
tune, he  has  borne  it  with  his  customary  cheerfulness  and 
courage,  and  without  the  least  complaint,  and  his  happi- 
ness and  gratitude  at  his  splendid  and  speedy  recovery  is 
very  great  and  very  touching  to  see.  He  has  found  his 
best  encouragement  and  comfort  in  the  tender  solicitude 
and  loving  devotion  which  so  many  of  his  friends  have 
shown  throughout  his  illness.  Mr.  Lowry  has  been  kind- 
ness itself,  having  visited  him  every  day,  without  excep- 
tion, since  he  was  stricken,  and  many  others  from 
Minneapolis  gather  almost  daily  at  his  bedside  and  make 
him  happy  by  their  cheerful  words.  Letters  pour  in  upon 
him  from  friends  all  over  the  country,  and  the  interest  and 
affection  shown  him  touch  him  deeply  —  give  him  new 
life. 

I  have  secured  an  experienced  and  most  excellent  man- 
servant for  him,  one  who  is  fairly  educated  and  can  read 
aloud  to  him,  conduct  his  correspondence,  and  act  as  a 
companion  and  attendant,  as  well  as  serve  as  his  valet. 
I  shall  take  father  to  Minneapolis,  in  June  —  probably 
about  the  26th,  and  we  shall  all  spend  the  Summer  with 
him  at  Mr.  Northup's,  at  the  lake.  I  expect  father  to  be 
about  soon,  to  take  a  daily  drive  before  long,  and  to  be  fit 
to  take  up  his  old  life  in  most  ways  by  the  time  we  leave 
for  the  West. 

If  there  shall  be  no  recurrence  of  his  trouble,  his  physi- 
cian—  the  best  authority  in  such  ailments  that  we  have  — 
assures  us  that  his  recovery  will  be  almost  complete,  and 
that  he  may  be  spared  for  many  years  for  a  life  of  activ- 
ity and  usefulness.  We  are  all  inexpressibly  happy  at 
the  bright  outlook,  and  I  am  sure  that  fatlier's  large 
number  of  warm  friends  will  be  glad  to  know  that  his 
recovery  is  so  assured. 


LOOKING  TOWARD  THE  SUNSET         233 

The  fond  hopes  expressed  in  this  letter  were 
not  altogether  doomed  to  disappointment.  Under 
the  best  medical  skill  that  New  York  afforded, 
and  the  most  careful  nursing,  the  results  of  the 
stroke  were  measurably  overcome.  The  open- 
air  life  at  Lake  Minnetonka,  from  Spring  to 
Autumn,  contributed  much.  The  will  of  the 
patient  was  itself  a  large  factor  —  the  determina- 
tion to  conquer,  to  maintain  his  interest  in  life 
and  in  the  events  of  the  day.  He  simply  would 
not  give  up.  In  course  of  time,  he  began  to  see 
his  friends  once  more,  and  to  visit  at  their  homes 
some  of  the  most  intimate.  Occasionally,  while 
spending  a  Summer  at  the  lake,  he  would  come  to 
church,  but  never  dared  venture  even  to  sit  in  the 
pulpit.  His  control  of  his  emotions  was  too  un- 
certain. "  It  was  a  sad  fate,"  he  writes,  "  which 
decided  that  I  should  be  removed  from  the  field 
on  which  I  had  toiled  so  long  and  hoped  for  so 
much  ;  but  there  must  be  good  reason  for  it ;  the 
Great  Ruler  does  no  wrong." 

TRIP   TO   ALASKA 

The  Summer  of  1901  was  a  memorable  one.  It 
was  the  privilege  of  the  writer  and  his  family  to 
accompany  Dr.  Tuttle  and  his  son  upon  a  trip 
through  the  Canadian  Rockies,  to  spend  a  week 
with  them  and  other  friends  upon  a  house-boat  on 
the  Kootenay   Lakes,  and  afterwards  to  go  with 


234  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

them  to  Alaska.  Never  before  did  Dr.  Tuttle's 
intense  love  of  nature,  and  his  scientific  knowledge 
of  nature,  come  out  to  better  advantage  than 
among  the  scenes  in  which  that  Summer  was 
passed.  Not  one  particle  of  his  enthusiasm  had 
been  abated  by  the  physical  shock,  nor  had  one  of 
his  faculties  been  dulled.  His  eye  was  the  first  to 
catch  any  feature  of  unusual  beauty  in  the  land- 
scape, and  he  was  not  content  until  he  had  pointed 
it  out  to  others  that  they  might  share  his  delight. 
On  board  the  Queen,  skirting  the  Alaskan  shores, 
he  was  astir  in  the  morning,  first  of  all  in  the 
party,  watching  with  his  glasses  for  glaciers,  and 
arousing  the  sleepers  with  his  exclamations  of 
wonder.  One  might  have  thought,  from  his  spon- 
taneous enjoyment  of  all  that  he  saw,  that  it  was 
his  first  journey  of  this  kind,  instead  of  his  last, 
for  he  entered  into  the  experience  with  all  the 
eagerness  of  youth. 

CHTJRCH   RECEPTION 

On  the  evening  of  September  25,  just  before 
his  return  to  New  York,  a  reception  was  given  to 
Dr.  Tuttle  in  the  lecture-room  of  the  church. 
Hosts  of  his  old  friends,  outside  as  well  as  inside 
of  the  parish,  came  to  see  him.  He  was  at  his 
best.  He  greeted  everyone  with  the  old  cordi- 
ality. What  seemed  to  everybody  so  marvelous 
was  that  his  memory  of  names  and  faces  was  per- 


LOOKING  TOWARD  THE  SUNSET         235 

feet.  Many  of  that  great  throng  he  had  not  seen 
for  years.  Some  said,  "  I  am  going  to  see  whether 
Dr.  Tuttle  remembers  me  ;  "  but  never  once  did 
he  trip. 

REVIEWrNG   THE   SUMMER 

The  following  letter  from  New  York,  dated 
October  31,  1901,  will  show  how  alive  he  was 
mentally,  how  busy  he  kept,  and  how  he  valued 
his  friends : 

Dear  Dr.  Shutter  :  The  momentum  my  Summer  ex- 
periences gave  me,  I  have  kept  up,  almost  uninterruptedly, 
since  my  return,  and  harmlessly,  even  profitably,  too.  I 
attended  the  Bicentennial,  at  Yale  ;  was  there  from  Sunday 
to  Thursday.  This  two  hundredth  anniversary  was  a  grand 
affair !  I  cannot  tell  you  how  I  enjoyed  it.  It  enlarged 
my  conceptions  of  Yale's  influence  in  this  country  im- 
mensely. I  was  in  great  luck  there.  My  entertainer, 
Mrs.  Messick,  was  Dr.  Northrop's,  also.^  He  condescend- 
ingly took  me  under  his  wing,  allowed  me  to  stand,  sit, 
and  march  by  his  side,  and  hence  I  saw  and  heard  every- 
thing. Without  his  helj},  I  should  have  seen  and  heard 
little.  He  was  an  invited  guest,  and  one  of  the  principal 
sjjeakers  ;  wore  his  gown,  badge,  and  Oxford  cap,  and  I,  in 
my  simple,  every-day  garb,  badgeless,  would  have  been 
turned  back  and  left  stranded  but  for  his  protection.  I 
came  face  to  face  with  scores  of  distinguished  persons ; 
was  introduced  to  many  of  them.  I  never  saw  so  many 
brains  gathered  under  one  roof  at  the  same  time.  I  wit- 
nessed President  Hadley's  conferring  of  degrees,  titles,  on 
threescore   of    the  world's   famous    men,    including  the 

'  Cyrus  Northrop,  LL.D.,  President  Minnesota  State  Uni- 
versity. 


236  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

President  of  the  United  States.  I  am  greatly  indebted, 
and  very  grateful,  to  Dr.  Northrop's  exceeding  kindness. 
He  made  one  of  the  most,  if  not  the  most,  effective  ad- 
dresses. I  was  proud  of  him.  He  certainly  exceeded  all 
I  heard  as  a  speaker.  On  the  following  Saturday,  I  went 
up  —  taking  John  with  me  —  to  Charlestown,  N.  H., 
to  share  in  Mrs.  Gilson's  eightieth  birthday.  My  pres- 
ence, as  I  intended,  surprised  her.  She  had  no  hint 
of  my  coming.  I  met  Mr.  -John  Crosby,  his  mother,  and 
Caroline  there.  Had  a  delightful  time.  I  enjoyed  the 
ride  up  the  Connecticut  River,  through  the  gorgeous 
October  scenery.  I  have  been  absent  two  Sundays,  and 
to  church,  in  the  city,  but  once.  I  called  on  Dr.  Eaton  at 
once,  but  he  was  not  able  to  see  me.  His  wife  said  he 
was  improving,  and  that  she  thought  he  would  soon  be  at 
work  again.  I  fear.  I  know  too  well  what  such  attacks 
mean.  His  assistant  preaches  every  Sunday,  but  I  have 
not  yet  heard  him.  I  may  go  up  next  Sunday.  Our  city 
is  full  of  excitement  over  the  mayorship.  I  hope  Low 
will  prove  the  successful  competitor.  We  think  over,  and 
talk  over,  our  last  Summer's  experiences.  I  endured  and 
enjoyed  it  all  wonderfully  well.  I  am  stronger  for  it  all. 
It  will  be  for  a  long  time,  alwaj-s,  indeed,  a  pleasant  theme 
for  our  recollections  to  dwell  upon.  I  have  heard  but 
little  of  the  Convention  at  Buffalo.  I  shall  read  all  about 
it  in  this  week's  Leader.  I  am  glad  you  made  Mr.  Wash- 
bum  president  of  the  Convention.  The  Kew  York  Trib- 
une  contained  a  notice  of  his  appointment  and  a  little  bit 
of  his  history.  I  delight  in  any  honor  that  is  shown  him. 
How  rapidly  Minneajjolis  people  are  dropping  out  of 
the  ranks  of  the  living  —  Mrs.  Atwater,  George  Pillsbury, 
I.e.  Seeley,  Mahlon  Black  —  all  since  I  left.  Does  the 
life-clock  there  run  too  fast  that  it  so  soon  runs  down  ? 
October  has  been  full  of  fine  weather.     We  seldom  have 


LOOKING   TOWARD   THE  SUNSET         237 

such  a  succession  of  mild,  sunny,  beautiful  days.  With 
such  a  Summer  behind  you,  you  must  preach,  if  possible, 
better  than  ever.  I  hope  Mrs.  Shutter  continues  well. 
How  kind  she  was  to  us  on  our  trip  !  We  owed  much  of 
our  comfort  and  happiness  to  her. 

A  BUNDLE    OF    LETTERS 

Nothing  can  better  illustrate  the  life  and  interests 
of  Dr.  Tuttle  during  his  closing  years  than  the 
letters  he  wrote  to  his  friends.  They  reveal  the 
man  as  he  nears  the  sunset,  as  his  sermons  revealed 
him  at  the  noon-tide.  The  one  which  follows, 
written  from  New  York,  bears  the  date  of  March 
28,  1902. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Shutter  :  I  thank  you  for  your  interest- 
ing letter  and  for  the  pen-pictures  it  contained  ;  pictures 
seen  and  suggested.  It  caused  me  to  live  over  old  days 
and  scenes.  You  said  nothing  of  your  health,  from  which 
I  infer  that  it  is  satisfactory.  At  last  you  have  got  on  the 
good  side  of  the  goddess  Hygeia.  I  hope  she  will  continue 
to  take  good  care  of  you.  If  I  meet  her  I  shall  thank  her 
on  my  own  account  for  the  kindness  she  has  been  showing 
you.  How  busy  you  all  are !  and  how  much  noble  work 
you  are  doing  !  I  once  hoped  I  might  share  with  you  all 
in  such  helpfulness,  but  a  power  above  me  decided  other- 
wise. I  have  not  been  permitted  to  gather  even  the  grapes 
that  grew  from  my  own  planting.  But  I  am  allowed  to 
knoAv  that  the  vineyard  has  been  better  cared  for  by  other 
hands.  I  am  thinking  of  the  dear  Church  of  the  Redeemer, 
in  these  days  especially.  Easter  is  here.  An  interesting 
occasion  to  nie  always,  but  not  so  much  so  as  when  I  was 
with  my  church  at  home.     The  Easter  bells  do  not  ring 


238  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

the  same,  the  flowers  do  not  seem  quite  the  same,  and  even 
the  fine  Easter  hats  and  dresses  1  see  in  ihe  streets,  are  not 
quite  the  same.  To  me  something  has  gone  out  of  the 
day.  I  am  living  on  delightful  memories  of  it.  1  wish  I 
could  be  with  you  all  next  Sunday  ;  that  I  could  stand  in 
that  dear  old  pulpit,  with  Dr.  Shutter,  and  look  down  on 
that  still  dearer  congregation,  look  into  those  hundreds  of 
familiar  faces. 

Since  writing  that  last  sentence,  I  have  been  down  in  the 
parlor  and  seen  one  of  those  familiar  faces  —  W.  D.  Wash- 
burn's. He  and  his  family  are  in  the  city,  on  their  return 
from  Cuba.  They  stojjped  at  Nassau,  where  they  met 
George,  who  had  been  there  for  three  weeks.  .  .  .  They 
all  had  a  royal  time.  Mr.  Washburn  brought  me  good 
words  from  George,  the  best  of  all  that  he  is  better,  that 
he  will  soon  be  able  to  be  in  his  oflice  again.  .  .  .  We 
see  Minneapolis  friends  occasionally,  hear  from  them  in  one 
way  and  another  oftener.  Mrs.  Christian  lunched  with  us, 
recently,  on  her  return  from  Egypt.  .  .  .  My  memory 
goes  back  frequently  to  the  house-boat  life  last  Summer. 
What  charming  experiences  that  and  the  Alaska  trip  were ! 
.  .  .  You  have  had,  from  all  I  hear,  a  finer  Winter  than 
we — hardly  more  snow.  The  weather  here  has  kept  its 
reputation  for  fickleness.  The  Spring  has  come  now,  or  it 
is  so  near  we  feel  its  warm  breath.  The  crocuses  are 
showing  their  faces  in  the  park.  I  thought  I  saw  a  violet 
there  yesterday.  .  .  I  hear  Dr.  Eaton  is  slowly  improv- 
ing, too  slowly  I  fear.  I  am  living  quietly,  but  I  can 
hardly  say  monotonously.  The  city  is  not  lacking  in 
entertainments  of  all  kinds  :  lectures,  theaters,  and  operas. 
I  go  to  church,  somewhere,  every  Sunday,  to  Dr.  Eaton's 
generally.  I  wish  I  could  slip  into  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer  and  hear  Dr.  Shutter.  With  all  my  losses  I 
feel  I  am  greatly  blessed  every  way.     When  complaints 


LOOKING  TOWARD   THE  SUNSET  239 

rise  to  my  lips  I  try  to  drive  them  back.  Since  Mr.  Pea- 
vey's  departure  I  have  been  more  than  ever  awed  at  the 
earthly  side  of  death,  and  felt  more  than  ever  the  need  of 
the  comforts  on  the  heavenly  side. 

DR.  EATON'S  FUNERAL 

New  York,  April  18,  1902. 
My  dear  Dr.  Shutter:  I  have  just  returned,  Mrs. 
Northup  and  I,  from  Dr.  Eaton's  funeral,  which  occurred 
in  the  church  at  3  this  afternoon.  There  was,  of  course,  a 
great  crowd  and  deep,  general  mourning.  Sad !  Sad ! 
Sad  !  All  our  clergymen  in  this  section  were  there.  I  did 
not  know  the  man  who  made  the  address.  I  think  he  was 
Dr.  Mason,  of  Chicago.  Dr.  Coleman  Adams,  of  Hartford, 
read  the  service  on  entering  the  church  ;  Dr.  Collyer  made 
the  prayer ;  and  Mr.  Patterson  read  the  Scriptures.  I  sat 
in  the  congregation;  not  with  the  ministers.  Dr.  Colly  er's 
prayer  was  earnest,  sympathetic,  touching.  I  am  in  my 
room,  at  my  table,  alone.  All  are  out  but  the  servants,  and 
I  don't  know  that  they  are  in  the  house.  I  am  alone  and 
sad.  I  feel  the  loss  of  Dr.  Eaton  deeply.  He  was  my 
pastor  for  several  years.  Can  it  be  that  the  dear,  noble  man 
has  gone  ?  That  I  shall  not,  in  this  world,  see  and  hear  him 
again?  He  was  not,  perhaps,  a  great  man  in  any  one 
thing,  but  he  was  greater  than  most  preachers  in  many 
things.  He  could  not  have  so  successfully  followed  that 
marvelous  orator.  Dr.  Chapin,  had  he  not  been  a  clever 
man.  I  am  sad,  but  not  in  despair.  God  is  good ;  He  rules 
above  and  below.  I  did  not  look  on  Dr.  Eaton's  face  to- 
day. I  felt  that  T  would  wait  until  I  meet  the  translated 
one.  And  that  meeting  in  the  better,  fairer  land  is  not  far 
off.  I  shall,  in  two  years  more,  have  completed  my  four- 
score. It  is  well.  God  is  good.  How  little  Dr.  Eaton 
dreamed,  or  I  —  he  came  to  see  me  after  my  attack  —  that 


240  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

he  would  pass  away  before  me !  He  was  called  away  in 
his  prime,  in  his  usefulness ;  I  remain  in  my  decay.  Why  ? 
The  good  Father  knows.  I  will,  at  least,  try  to  be  grateful 
for  countless  blessino's. 


THE    SECOND    STROKE 

Shortly  after   this   letter,  Dr.    Tuttle    left   for 
Rochester,  New  York,  where  he  was  present  at  the 
unveiling  of   the  memorial  windows,  of  which  an 
account  is  given  in  the  second  chapter  of  this  book, 
and  where  the  response  he    had  written  for  the 
occasion,    was   read   by   Dr.    Atwood.     He    then 
came  on  to  Lake  Minnetonka  to  spend  the  Summer, 
as  usual,  with  his  nephew,  W.  G.  Northup.     In 
the  meantime,  his  son  had  purchased  a  large  tract 
of  land  in  the  vicinity,  with  a  small  cottage  upon 
it.     In  directing  the  laying  out  of  the  grounds, 
the  filling  up  of  an  extensive  marsh,  and  the  dredg- 
ing along  the  lake   front,  the    attention    of   Dr. 
Tuttle  was  absorbed,  and  he  was  kept  constantly 
in  the  open  air.     He  always  had  a  taste  for  land- 
scape gardening,  and  here  was  ample  scope  to  ex- 
ercise it.     At    intervals  he  read  and  studied  the 
best  books  upon  the  subject,  and  consulted  with 
living    masters  of    the  art.     The  results    he   put 
into  the  grounds  of  "  Loaf  den." 

One  evening  after  a  day  spent  in  directing  the 
men  at  work,  upon  his  return  to  Mr.  Northup's 
residence,  he  suddenly  found   himself   unable   to 


LOOKING  TOWARD  THE  SUNSET         241 

swallow  or  articulate.  He  did  not  realize  what  had 
happened ;  but  in  a  very  few  days  his  condition 
became  so  serious  that  his  life  was  despaired  of, 
and,  at  one  time,  it  seemed  but  a  question  of  hours. 
But  his  wonderful  vitality  prevailed ;  and  within 
four  or  five  weeks,  he  was  again  watching  the  prog- 
ress at  "  Loafden."  The  latter  part  of  the  Summer, 
and  the  Autumn  of  1902,  was  passed  by  the  writer 
and  his  family  in  the  cottage,  and  it  is  to  this  fact 
that  Dr.  Tuttle  refers  in  a  letter  written  just  prior 
to  his  departure  for  New  York  for  the  Winter. 

Sunday  Morning,  Nov.  2,  1902. 
My  deak  Mrs.  Shutter  :  If  our  present  intentions 
do  not  fail,  we  shall  leave  for  New  York  next  Thursday 
evening.  So  our  season  at  the  lake,  a  strange  one 
in  many  ways,  is  drawing  to  a  close.  I  feel  that 
I  must  answer  your  good  letter  before  I  leave. 
Loafden  seemed  lonely  after  3fou  left.  I  was  very  sorry 
Avhen  I  passed  each  day,  not  to  see  your  cheerful  face,  and 
not  to  get  your  pleasant  greeting  !  I  am  more  than  grate- 
ful that  you  occupied  the  cottage,  you  and  yours,  for 
a  while,  and  that  we  had  so  much,  though  not  half  enough, 
of  your  company.  It  was  a  great  comfort  to  me  to  have 
you  there,  to  have  you  dedicate  the  little  cozy  house,  to  its 
best  life.  We  have  rain,  rain  still,  and  cold  too,  but  have 
had  some  fine,  perfect  days.  I  have  been  in  the  cottage 
but  once  since  you  left  it,  though  1  have  been  over  every 
day,  as  was  my  wont,  to  watch  the  men  work.  We  have 
made  no  changes  that  you  would  notice,  except  the  wall 
at  the  terminus,  jumping-off  place,  in  the  old  road.  The 
weather  has  prevented  our  doing  all  we  would  like  to  have 


242  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

done  this  Fall.  The  rest  must  wait  until  Spring.  .  .  .  The 
lakers  have  nearly  all  gone  in,  and  the  lights  in  the  win- 
dows at  night  have  gone  out !  Mrs.  Peavey  and  Mrs. 
Hefflefinger  called,  Friday,  to  say  good-by.  I  was  sorry 
to  have  them  go,  though  I  saw  little  of  them .  They  are 
such  noble  people !  I  have  lost  a  great  deal  in  not  seeing 
more  of  them.  I  always  loved  to  call  there,  but  my  con- 
dition forbade  that  this  season.  I  shall  be  compelled  to 
live  quietly,  and  see  but  few  this  Winter. 

THE   LAST  YEAR 

The  Winter  passed,  and  another  Springtime 
came.  "  I  am  better,"  he  writes,  "  than  I  was 
last  Summer,  than  when  I  returned  to  New  York ; 
but  still  far  enough  from  myself.  My  throat 
troubles  me,  my  articulation  is  yet  poor,  and  I  am 
almost  as  nervous  as  ever.  Will  I  ever  get  over 
it?  I  fear  not  in  this  world."  The  following 
letters  tell  the  story  of  the  year : 

(I) 
TO   MRS.    HALLOWELL 

New  York,  April  33,  1903. 
I  was  glad  to  have  a  word  from  you,  and  from  so  near 
the  grounds  we  are  attempting  to  improve.  I  don't  know 
when  I  shall  get  to  the  lake  —  not  until  in  June,  I  fear. 
The  doctor  does  not  want  me  to  go  out  before  he  does.  My 
unfortmiate  experience  last  Summer  makes  him  cautious 
about  trusting  me.  I  really  want  to  be  out  there  now.  I 
want  to  see  the  budding  of  the  shrubs  and  trees.  .  .  .  We 
shall  not  be  able  to  make  as  many  changes  on  the  place 


LOOKING  TOWARD   THE  SUNSET  243 

this  season.  The  old  barn  has  been  taken  down,  I  hear. 
I  fear,  however,  that  I  shall  miss  it.  I  like  old  barns,  and 
that  was  a  landmark.  ...  I  am  grateful  that  you  go  to 
the  lake  so  early.  I  like  to  think  that  you  are  there,  and 
how  glad  we  shall  be  to  see  you.  You  and  your  husband 
augment  the  interest  of  our  place  wonderfully.  I  think 
you  aided  not  a  little  in  deciding  us  to  purchase  it.  The 
value  of  any  place  is  enhanced  by  the  right  kind  of 
neighbors. 

(H) 
TO   MRS.    SHUTTER 

LOAFDEN,  July  10,  1903. 
We  arrived  Wednesday  morning,  of  this  week.  Mr. 
Underwood  sent  us  in  his  private  car ;  this  made  our  trip 
comparatively  more  of  a  pleasure  than  a  fatigue.  .  .  . 
We  are  already  quite  settled  in  our  own  little,  toy  cottage. 
It  is  so  associated  with  you  and  yours,  I  have  thought  of 
you  constantly,  and  thought  I  would  send  you,  this  morn- 
ing, a  few  hurried  lines,  to  let  you  know  we  are  here. 
Things  seem  quite  natural,  only  it  is  strange  not  to  go,  as 
usual,  to  the  Northups.  .  .  .  Mrs.  Northup  had  our 
house  in  readiness.  We  have  a  Imthroom  put  in,  and 
things  seem  comfortable.  I  slept  well,  last  night,  and 
already  feel  the  good  effects  of  the  out-door  air.  Dickey 
will  be  over  with  his  men  in  a  day  or  two.  You  and  yours 
will,  of  course,  visit  us  soon.  It  will  seem  so  good  and 
natural  to  see  you  here.  What  a  storm  yesterday  morn- 
ing !  The  West  beats  all,  even  in  thunder  and  lightning. 
The  wind  threatened  to  blow  us  into  the  lake.  It  did  blow 
over  some  of  my  trees.  The  Peavey  house  is  not  ojjen ! 
Much  to  our  regret.  To  have  Highcroft  closed  saddens 
the  whole  locality.  And  poor  Mrs.  Peavey  is  ill !  I  wrote 
her  yesterday.  ...  1  am  anxious  to  see  the  changes 
you  are  making  in  the  church. 


244  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

(III) 
TO   MISS   CLEVELAND 

LoAFDEN,  July  26,  1903. 
The  coming  of  your  letter  made  my  sunny  yesterday  still 
sunnier.  It  was  good  of  you  to  think  of  us  and  write  to 
me.  .  .  .  We  are  settled  in  housekeeping  and  getting 
on  nicely.  ...  I  keep  out  in  the  open  air  as  much  as 
possible,  and  am  slowly  gaining  strength.  .  .  .  It  is  not 
easy  for  me  to  write,  and  yet  I  write  more  easily  than  I 
talk.  My  articulation  is  poor,  hardly  understandable  to 
strangers.  I  send  a  heart-full  of  love  and  good  wishes  to 
you  all.  To-morrow  is  my  seventy-ninth  birthday.  I  do 
not  celebrate  it  in  any  way.  Seventy-nine  !  an  old  man  ! 
and  yet  I  do  not  feel  so  old.  My  life  is  near  its  end  —  my 
earthly  life.  I  have,  notwithstanding  my  sorrows,  and 
some  of  them  deep,  enjoyed  my  life.  I  have  been  greatly 
blessed  all  my  days.  Dear,  infinite  Father !  how  good 
and  how  gracious  and  how  merciful  He  has  been  to  me ! 
I  wish  I  had  served  Him  better      I  have  tried  to  do  my 

duty. 

(IV) 

TO  MISS   CLEVELAND 

LoAFDEN,  October  4,  1903. 
It  has  been  a  strange  Summer  in  respect  to  weather, 
hardly  any  Summer  at  all,  more  like  Autumn  or  Winter; 
rainy,  cold,  and  disagreeable.  Yet,  I  have,  of  course,  en- 
joyed it.  I  have  lived  out  of  doors  and  taken  great  pleas- 
ure in  watching  the  men  at  work,  and  in  giving  occasional 
directions.  I  think  we  have  improved  the  place  some- 
what. Among  other  things,  has  been  constructed  a  water- 
garden,  a  garden  for  growing  pond-lilies,  native  and  for- 
eign, and  other  aquatic  plants.  The  garden,  beautiful  as 
it  is,  I  shall  plant  with  lilies  next  Spring  —  if  I  live. 


LOOKING   TOWARD   THE  SUNSET         245 
THE   LAST   LETTER 

The  writer  and  Mrs.  Shutter  attended  the 
National  Convention  at  Washington,  October,  1903, 
and  upon  their  way  home,  stopped  in  New  York 
and  spent  a  day  with  Dr.  Tuttle.  He  was  in  the 
happiest  of  moods.  They  talked  with  him  of  the 
Convention  just  closed  and  of  the  next  one  —  to 
be  held  with  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer.  He 
took  them  driving  in  the  park,  and,  afterwards,  he 
accompanied  them  to  the  station.  As  the  cab 
turned  about  to  carry  him  back,  he  waved  his 
hand,  and  smiled  through  his  tears.  It  was  their 
last  look  !  Some  days  later  came  this  letter  —  the 
last  —  which  the  recipients  prize  above  the  power 
of  words  to  express.^  They  prize  it  for  the  affec- 
tion it  breathes,  and  for  the  picture  it  contains, 
drawn  by  his  own  hand,  of  his  very  last  days. 
There  he  is  —  still  full  of  interest  in  life,  in  na- 
ture, in  literature  —  and  standing  upon  the  thresh- 
old of  new  temples  of  knowledge. 

•  It  was  for  some  time  a  matter  of  doubt  with  the  author, 
whether  to  publish  this  letter  or  withhold  it.  It  seems  almost 
too  sacred  to  be  given  to  other  eyes  than  those  for  which  it  was 
written.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  Dr.  Tuttle's  final  word 
and  message  concerning  the  church,  its  pastor  and  his  wife, 
and  concerning  himself.  It  showed  his  satisfaction,  upon 
looking  back,  with  the  course  of  events  in  the  church  he  loved. 
It  breathed  his  benediction.  So,  eliminating  the  passages  too 
entirely  and  sacredly  personal,  the  author  gives  the  letter  to 
bis  readers. 


246  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

Mt  dear  Mrs.  Shutter:  I  was  more  than  glad  to 
receive  your  letter.  Your  too  short  call  made  us  very 
happy.  It  was  a  bright  day,  and  your  coming  made  it 
brighter.  We  see  things  through  ourselves,  and  I  was  so 
happy  within  that  day  that  all  without  was  beautiful.  I 
don't  know  when  I  have  enjoyed  a  day  more.  When  I  had 
parted  from  you  and  the  doctor  at  the  station,  it  seemed 
as  though  the  sun  had  gone  suddenly  under  a  cloud.  A 
feeling  of  loneliness  settled  over  me  as  I  was  riding  home. 
I  wondered  to  myself  that  I  did  not  urge  you  mo7'e  to 
remain  another  day.  My  joy  at  your  coming,  and  regret 
at  your  going,  was  a  demonstration  of  the  deep  regard  and 
love  I  have  for  you  and  the  doctor.  You  have  both  grown 
deeper  and  deeper  in  my  heart  each  year.  How  lucky  for 
our  Church  of  tlie  Redeemer,  and  all  that  belongs  to  it,  that 
Dr.  Shutter  came  to  us.  It  was  the  making  of  us.  In 
selecting  him  for  our  pastor,  we  wrought  better  than  we 
knew.     I  hope  the  benefit  was  mutual.   .   .   . 

I  do  want  you  both  to  know  as  well  as  you  can,  how  I 
love  you,  and  how  much  you  are  to  me.  My  hajipiest  days 
last  Summer  were  those  you  spent  with  us.  I  wish  you 
lived  nearer  so  I  could  see  you  oftener,  have  more  of  you. 
Wish  you  could  go  and  ride  with  me  in  the  park  to-day- 
Wasn't  that  a  beautiful  ride  we  had  in  the  park  ?  I  shall 
not  soon  forget  it,  it  shines  like  a  flame  of  joy  in  my  mem- 
ory. Speaking  of  the  park  —  I  want  to  tell  you  a  scheme 
I  have  worked  up  relating  to  it  —  did  I  tell  you  ?  I  think 
not.  Well,  perhaps  you  remember  that  Mrs.  Northup,  on 
my  birthday,  gave  me  a  book  treating  of  trees,  shrubs,  and 
vines  —  the  exact  flora  found  in  the  park.  The  author  is 
a  Mr.  Parkhvirst,  living  in  Englewood,  N.  J.  At  my 
request,  he  is  coming  up  these  fine  days,  and  pointing 
out  to  me,  in  the  park,  the  objects  there,  he  so  eloquently 
describes   in  his  work.     Of  course,  I  knew  the  common 


LOOKING   TOWARD   THE  SUNSET  24T 

folk  dwelling  in  the  park,  but  I  wanted  to  be  introduced 
to  the  "  61ite,"  the  "four  hundred,"  from  which  my 
plebeian  ignorance  excludes  me.  He,  Mr.  Parkhurst, 
rambles  with  me  —  think  of  it !  about  the  park,  pointing 
out  the  distmguished  individuals.  This  gives  me  out-of- 
door  exercise,  liealth,  and  knowledge.  It  makes  the  park 
immensely  more  interesting  to  me.  Yesterday,  in  our 
walks  about  the  majestic  grove,  Mr.  Parkhurst  showed 
me  a  Cedar  of  Lebanon,  whose  ancestors  may  have 
served  as  beams  and  pillars  in  Solomon''s  Temple !  The 
sight  of  it  filled  me  with  strange  sensations  ;  and  he  showed 
a  Paulownia,  which,  I  imagine,  is  deemed  among  its  floral 
fellows  as  a  Oladstone,  tall,  grand,  imperial  in  appearance. 
On  looking  back  over  this  letter,  I  am  frightened  at  the 
chirography  displayed.  The  truth  is,  my  illness  unhar- 
nessed my  physical  forces,  and  mental  ones  too,  more  or 
less,  and  turned  them  loose  in  a  field  of  lawlessness,  and  I 
have  not  since  been  able  to  catch  and  halter  them,  and  lead 
them  back  into  obedient  service.  I  generally  get  on 
better  with  my  pen  than  with  my  tongue,  but  in  this 
instance  the  former  has  limped,  and  wobbled  almost  as 
badly.  I  think  it  is  tired  —  it  hurried  too  much.  Mr. 
Parkhurst  comes  again,  next  Monday,  and  we  take  another 
walk  in  the  wondrous  groves.  He  has  written  a  work  on 
The  Birds  of  the  Park  also.  He  is  to  bring  that  for  me. 
Besides  my  plunge  into  botany,  I  am  taking  up  the  study 
of  Italian .  Think  of  it !  It  is  said  that  Cato  learned  Greek 
when  he  was  eighty.  Ought  I  not  then  to  learn  Italian  at 
seventy-nine?  I  am,  too,  refreshing  my  memories  of  Flor- 
ence through  Bomola,  the  book  which  you  gave  me  years 
ago ;  masterful,  or  mistressful,  work !  The  weather  con- 
tinues fine !  a  gloriously,  perfect,  Indian  Summer !  The 
torches  which  Autumn  lighted  in  tree  and  shrub,  are  grow- 
ing dimmer,  of  course,  but  the  skies  are  clear,  placid,  and 


248  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

the  atmosphere  inviting.  I  am  thankful  for  the  love  the 
dear  friends  sent  by  you  to  me.  I  send  my  love  in  return 
to  all  who  ask  after  me.  By-the-by,  I  have  a  photograph 
of  you  and  the  doctor  taken  at  Washington  by  our  boy, 
William  Taylor.  I  had  also  a  Lewiston  paper  containing 
an  elaborate  interview  with  him,  on  his  Washington  experi- 
ence, the  General  Convention  and  reception  by  the  Presi- 
dent. Quite  interesting !  I  think  our  boy  is  getting  on 
finely.  He  sent  pictures  of  his  new  church.  I  am  glad 
the  Convention  is  to  meet  in  Minneapolis  next  time.  Shall 
I  live  and  have  strength  to  be  there  ?  So  I  hope  and  pray. 
You  can  imagine  just  where  I  am  sitting  and  writing  this 
letter.  You  can  see  my  inspiring  surroundings.  Dr. 
Shutter  is  looking  down  over  my  shoulder.  I  lift  my  eyes, 
and  lo !  there  is  Mr.  Washburn,  Mr.  Lowry,  and  other 
faces  I  love  to  look  upon.  Quite  a  number  of  Church  of 
the  Redeemer  people  peer  down  lovingly  from  the  walls. 
I  will  stop.  JNIy  love  to  the  doctor,  and  keep  a  heart-full 
for  your  own  dear  self. 

Affectionately, 

J.  H.  TUTTLE. 


"  The  hour  draws  near,  howe'er  delayed  and  late, 

When  at  the  Eternal  Gate, 
We  leave  the  words  and  works  we  call  our  own. 

And  lift  void  hands  alone 
For  love  to  fill.     Our  nakedness  of  soul 

Brings  to  that  Gate  no  toll ; 
Giftless  we  come  to  Him  who  all  things  gives, 

And  live  because  He  lives."  ^ 

*  Whittier    to    Oliver   Wendell    Holmes,    on    his  eightieth 
birthday. 


VIEWS   AT    LOAFDEN. 


CHAPTER   XV 

BEYOND   THE   GATES 

Last  Illness  and  Death  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  The  News  in  Minneapo 
lis  —  Remains  brought  from  New  York  to  Minneapolis  for 
Burial  —  Funeral  Services  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  — 
Interment  at  Lakewood — ■ "  Nothing  pays  but  Goodness." 

Thus  the  busy,  shortening  days  flew  by,  till  at 
last  there  came  a  morning,  early  in  December,  when 
Dr.  Tuttle  could  not  visit  his  beloved  trees.  He 
seemed  to  have  an  attack  of  "  grippe."  Nothing 
was  thought  of  it  at  first,  as  he  had  suffered  such 
attacks  before  and  had  readily  recovered.  By  the 
6th,  however,  his  son  became  convinced  that  it 
was  much  more  serious  than  at  first  supposed,  and 
expressed  to  the  writer  his  apprehensions  in  the 
following  letter : 

Father's  condition  seems  to  me  to  be  much  more  serious 
to-day  than  it  was  when  I  wrote  you  yesterday,  and  I  have 
grave  fears  as  to  the  outcome.  I  have  just  telegraphed  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Northup,  asking  them  to  come  on  at  once,  if 
they  can  do  so,  and  I  feel  sure  they  will  want  to  come  if 
possible.  All  of  father's  symptoms  are  more  pronounced 
to-day,  and  there  are  several  new  ones  of  ominous  signifi- 
cance, showing  great  loss  of  strength  and  vitality.  It  is 
very  difficult  to  give  him  any  nourishment,  and  the  hiccough 
keeps  up  steadily.     It  hardly  seems  possible  to  me  that  he 

249 


250  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

can  fight  through  this  battle  successfully,  as  he  did  before. 
It  is  evidently  a  sort  of  < '  grippe  "  of  very  severe  character, 
and  it  is  a  grave  malady  for  one  of  his  years  and  feebleness. 

To  the  complete  surprise  of  everyone,  however, 
the  patient  rallied  the  very  next  day,  and  put  to 
flight  for  the  time  the  fears  of  liis  friends  and  at- 
tendants. Another  letter  from  his  son,  dated  at  5 
P.M.,  December  7,  is  full  of  hope : 

Almost  a  miracle  has  happened !  and  my  dear  father, 
whose  condition  at  this  hour  yesterday  was  practically 
hopeless,  is  now  apparently  so  wonderfully  improved  as  to 
make  it  seem  as  though  he  were  out  of  any  immediate 
danger  and  on  the  road  to  recovery.  It  is  a  repetition  of 
what  occurred  a  year  ago,  when  we  thought  all  hope  gone. 
The  change  for  the  better  began  last  night.  He  slept 
quietly  nearly  all  night,  and  this  morning  there  was  a  mar- 
velous change  and  improvement  in  every  way.  He 
greeted  me  by  saying,  "  I  am  so  happy ;  T  could  not  go  and 
leave  you  alone."  His  eyes  were  clear,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  days,  we  could  understand  what  he  wanted  to  say. 
The  fever  has  gone.  .  .  .  Our  hearts  are  full  to  over- 
flowing with  joy  and  thankfulness  that  he  is  to  be  spared 
again  to  us  for  a  time,  and  I  know  that  you  and  all  who 
love  him  will  share  our  feelings.  Father  asked  to  have 
his  love  sent  to  you  all. 

But  the  improvement  was  only  apparent.  He 
seems  to  have  come  back  from  the  gathering  shadows 
to  leave  one  more  message  of  love,  and  then  he 
passed  on  to  where 

"  Flows  forever  thro'  Heaven's  green  expansions. 
The  river  of  God's  peace." 


BEYOND  THE  GATES  251 

Thus,  on  Tuesday,  the  8th  of  December,  1903,  de- 
parted the  great  and  noble  soul,  whose  work  and 
influence  these  pages  have  so  feebly  depicted. 


THE   NETTS   IN   MINNEAPOLIS 

The  news  was  received  with  profound  sorrow  by 
his  old  friends  in  the  city  where  he  had  lived  and 
labored  so  long,  and  the  press,  in  making  the  an- 
nouncement, accompanied  it  with  kind  and  sym- 
pathetic comment.     The  Journal  said :  — 

The  announcement  of  the  death  of  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H.  Tuttle 
will  bring  sorrow  to  the  hearts  of  many  people  in  Minne- 
apolis. Dr.  Tuttle  was  one  of  the  kindliest,  gentlest,  and 
most  sympathetic  of  men.  His  long  life  in  this  commu- 
nity, as  pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  was  a  daily 
benediction  on  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  Chari- 
table, sympathetic,  and  large-hearted,  he  won  the  love  and 
respect  of  all,  and  probably  held  the  confidence  and  shared 
the  heart-aches  of  more  men  and  women  than  any  man 
who  ever  lived  in  this  community. 

The  Times  editorial  contained  the  following : 

Wonderfully  beneficent  was  the  influence  he  exerted 
during  the  period  of  his  ministry  here,  for  he  was  dear  to 
his  people  because  he  was  near  to  them,  ever  ready  with 
comfort  in  times  of  trouble,  and  with  encouragement  when 
a  kindly  word  would  do  the  most  good.  He  lived  a  wit- 
ness to  the  grand  results  of  his  labors  and  modestly  to  en- 
joy many  sweet  evidences  of  the  appreciation  of  those  to 
whom  he  had  ministered. 


252  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

The  Tribune  said:  "Dr.  Tuttle  was  prominent 
in  all  movements  for  the  good  of  the  city."  Ex- 
pressions of  sympathy  came  from  people  identified 
with  many  other  churches.  Everyone  felt  that 
"  a  prince  and  a  great  man  had  fallen  in  Israel." 


THE   FUNERAL    SERVICES 

The  body  was  brought  from  New  York  for 
burial,  and  carried  to  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer, 
where  it  lay  in  state  before  the  altar.  The  ser- 
vices were  held  Saturday  morning,  December  12. 
There  were  many  evidences  of  the  sincere  respect 
and  reverent  remembrance  in  which  the  man  who 
had  worked  in  this  field  for  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, was  held.  All  the  churches  of  the  city  were 
represented  in  the  crowded  auditorium,  and  the 
baptismal  font  had  been  filled  with  Dr.  Tuttle's 
favorite  roses  by  members  of  the  Tuttle  Memorial 
Church.  The  casket,  as  well  as  the  Bible,  were 
covered  with  flowers  and  floral  emblems. 

The  services  were  in  charge  of  the  writer,  who 
offered  the  prayer  and  made  the  address.  Prof. 
Emil  Oberhoffer  played  Guilmant's  funeral  march, 
and  the  choir  of  the  church  sang,  "  Lead,  Kindly 
Light."  After  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  the 
choir  sang,  "  One  Sweetly  Solemn  Thought."  At 
the  close,  "  Nearer,  My  God,  to  Thee,"  was  sung 
by  the  choir  and  congregation,  and  Chopin's  f  une- 


BEYOND   THE  GATES  253 

ral  march  was  played  as  the  casket  was  carried 
out. 

The  active  pall-bearers  were  George  W.  Por- 
ter, Charles  J.  Martin,  John  Washburn,  W.  H. 
Lee,  A.  T.  Rand,  John  Atwater,  Morris  Hallowell, 
and  Preston  King.  The  honorary  pall-bearers 
were  the  trustees  of  the  church,  —  Hon.  W.  D. 
Washburn,  Judge  M.  B.  Koon,  Clinton  Morrison, 
E.  W.  Herrick,  and  Thomas  Lowry.  Mr.  George 
H.  Partridge  was  absent  from  the  city,  and  Mr. 
W.  G.  Northup  sat  with  the  mourners.  Dr. 
George  Montgomery  Tuttle,  the  sole  survivor  of 
the  immediate  family,  was  present.  The  only 
other  relative  present  was  George  Tuttle  of  New 
York,  a  grandson,  who  was  accompanied  by  his 
mother,  Mrs.  Howard  Mansfield. 

PRAYER 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  to  whom  shall  we  go  but  to 
Thee,  with  this  great  sorrow  ?  Thou  hast  the  words  of 
eternal  life.     Thou  art  the  source  of  all  our  help. 

In  such  an  hour,  it  seems  as  if  every  prop  were  broken, 
as  if  every  foundation  had  crumbled :  but  Thy  life  and 
Thy  love,  the  everlasting  arms,  are  underneath.  Thou 
remainest.  Thou  art  the  one  fixed  fact  amid  these  shifting 
scenes.  The  children  of  men  emerge  from  the  shadow, 
toil  their  brief  day  in  the  sun,  and  then  disappear  from 
our  sight,  back  into  the  shadow ;  but  from  everlasting  to 
everlasting.  Thou  art  God. 

Be  with  us   in  this  bereavement.      The   family,   the 


254  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

church,  the  community,  are  stricken.  He  whom  we  loved 
and  revered  —  our  father,  our  pastor,  our  friend  ■ —  has 
gone.  How  empty  life  seems,  when  such  a  presence  has 
passed  away !  But  we  thank  Thee,  O  God,  that  he 
has  lived.  We  thank  Thee  for  his  life,  so  lofty  in  its 
purpose,  so  noble  in  its  aspirations,  so  broad  in  its 
sympathies,  a  life  that  was  saying  to  us  every  day, 
"The  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God." 

We  thank  Thee  for  his  gentle  influence.  Whatever 
men  may  doubt  in  the  parchments,  whatever  they  may 
reject  in  the  creeds,  who  can  question  Thy  goodness, 
when  it  stands  revealed  in  such  a  character?  Who  can 
doubt  the  ocean  of  Thy  love  when  its  waves  beat  upon 
these  shores  of  time  in  lives  like  his  ?  In  such  epistles 
hast  Thou  written  Thine  everlasting  gospel,  that  all  may 
read  and  believe. 

What  multitudes  are  thanking  Thee  to-day,  O  God, 
for  the  inspiration  he  gave  them  to  the  loftiest  manhood 
and  womanhood !  What  multitudes  remember  and  bless 
him  for  the  consolation  he  spoke  to  them,  as  the  verj'' 
prophet  of  God !  How  many  whose  faith  he  quickened 
have  crossed  the  dark  stream  in  the  strength  of  his  mes- 
sage, and  have  already  welcomed  him,  with  songs  and  re- 
joicings, to  the  eternal  shores  ! 

For  this  sorrow  of  ours,  O  Father,  is  not  hopeless  and 
despairing.  We  sorrow,  indeed,  but  not  as  those  who  see 
nothing  beyond.  We  sorrow  as  those  who  came  to  the 
sepulcher  seeking  their  Lord,  and  found  it  blossoming  with 
angels,  who  said,  "He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen."  So 
come  we  to  the  tomb  to-day.  He  whom  we  loved  is  not 
here,  but  is  risen,  risen  to  honor  and  glory  and  immor- 
tality, risen  to  the  presence  of  Him  who  broke  the  gates  of 
death,  and  let  the  angels  through  into  every  grave! 

May  we  never  forget  him !     May  his  influence  live  on 


BEYOND  THE  GATES  255 

in  every  heart !  May  his  spirit  still  hallow  the  walls  of 
this  temple  he  loved !  May  the  work  he  began  go  on  in 
triumph !  May  all  who  love  this  church  take  fresh  conse- 
cration before  the  casket  that  holds  his  precious  dust,  and 
pledge  anew  devotion  to  the  cause  that  was  his  and  to  the 
God  whom  he  served  ! 

Bless  us  and  comfort  us  all.  So  guide  us  that  we  may 
see  aright  Thy  loving  purpose.  Then,  at  last,  shalt  Thou 
give  us  a  song  for  every  sigh ;  then  every  tear  shall  catch 
the  rainbow,  and  every  thorn  shall  bear  its  rose. 

And  Thy  name  shall  have  the  praise  forever.     Amen. 

ADDRESS 

How  strange  this  all  seems  !  —  that  there  should 
be  a  sorrow  without  Dr.  Tuttle  to  console  ;  that 
there  should  be  a  bereavement  without  him  to 
sustain  us.  I  do  not  think  that  any  one  of  us 
quite  realizes  just  what  has  happened.  For  while 
our  pastor,  beloved  and  venerated,  could  not  be 
with  us  much  in  our  gatherings  during  these  latter 
years,  there  was  a  satisfaction  in  knowing  that, 
whether  in  his  new  home  in  the  great  city,  or 
among  old  friends  and  neighbors  at  the  lake,  he 
was  not  very  far  away.  We  could  sometimes 
look  upon  his  benign  face,  and  catch  glimpses  of 
the  beatific  vision ;  we  could  touch  his  hand ;  we 
could  still  go  to  him  in  trouble ;  we  could  read 
his  messages  of  comfort  when  the  world  went 
wrong  -with  us ;  we  could  share  his  joy  when  the 
church  was  prosperous,  and  all  was  well.     And  so 


266  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

in  a  thousand  ways  we  felt  his  constant  presence 
and  interest.  He  was  still  and  ever  a  part  of  us. 
He  might  have  said  with  St.  Hildegarde,  "  I  put 
myself  into  your  soul ;  "  and  there  are  many  of  us 
who  could  exclaim  with  Tennyson,  — 

"  Whatever  way  my  days  decline, 
I  felt  and  feel,  tho'  left  alone. 
His  being  working  in  mine  own, 
The  footsteps  of  his  life  in  mine." 

And  now  the  gentle  shepherd  of  Israel  has  de- 
parted. We  bring  his  body  back  to-day  to  this 
altar  where  he  used  to  worship ;  before  the  pulpit 
from  which  he  used  to  speak  the  word  that  inspired, 
the  precept  that  guided  ;  to  tell  of  the  love  that 
encircled  this  sad  world  in  its  pitying  arms,  the 
hope  that  set  the  star  of  victory  over  every  grave. 
And  here  amid  the  scenes  he  loved,  lighted  by 
the  pictured  windows  on  which  he  delighted  to 
gaze,  and  where  the  sculptured  angel,  his  own 
gift  to  the  church,  now  offers  him  a  tribute  of 
roses,  —  he  lies  to-day  in  the  solemn  majesty  of 
dgath. 

What  memories  throng  this  sacred  hour !  The 
past  is  alive.  The  story  of  those  j^ears  in  which 
he  wrought,  from  small  beginnings  up  to  great 
results,  writes  itself  anew  in  lines  of  living  light 
upon  the  memory.  We  see  the  humble  hall  in 
which  his  work  began.     We  mingle  with  that  first 


BEYOND   THE  GATES  257 

handful  of  devoted  believers  in  the  love  divine 
that  conquers  sin  at  last  in  every  soul,  and 
throughout  the  universe.  We  see,  anon,  the 
modest  meeting-house  that  rose  for  the  gathering 
congregation;  and  then  tliis  stately  temple  of  the 
triumphant  years.  We  mark  the  toils  and  strug- 
gles and  sacrifices  of  that  heroic  company,  and  of 
the  Christ-like  man  who  led  them  on.  "  They 
labored,  and  we  have  entered  into  their  labors." 
We  see  him  doing  battle  for  his  faith  against  the 
prejudices  and  hostile  opinions  that  assailed  him  ; 
but  in  so  sweet  and  beautiful  a  spirit  that  he  con- 
quered the  bitterest  foe  of  his  theology  by  his  love, 
and  won  the  heart  even  when  the  intellect  halted. 
By  the  beauty  of  his  character  and  the  breadth 
of  his  sympathy,  which  embraced  all  creeds  and 
classes,  he  silenced  at  last  the  clamors  of  opposi- 
tion, and  made  the  old  fields  of  controversy  blossom 
with  flowers  of  friendship.  His  motto  was,  "  In 
Christ  there  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  barbarian, 
Scythian,  bond  nor  free,  but  Christ  is  all  in  all." 
And  he  lived  to  see  the  truth,  for  which  he  stood 
in  his  youth  and  manhood,  permeating,  in  his  age, 
the  thought  of  Christendom. 

Of  those  who  wrought  with  Dr.  Tuttle  through 
those  years  of  struggle,  some  remain  unto  this 
day,  but  many  have  fallen  asleep.  There  is  an  in- 
visible background  to  this  great  congregation, 
where  those  who  have  entered  the  diviner  life  have 


258  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

gathered  as  to  a  triumph,  while  we  stand  with 
bowed  head  and  falling  tears.  The  Prays,  the 
Kings,  the  Morrisons,  the  Cornells,  the  Chowens, 
the  Crosbys,  the  Gilsons,  the  Eastmans,  and  multi- 
tudes of  others,  his  tried  and  true  fellow  workmen, 
bid  him  welcome  to-day,  while  we  falter  our  fare- 
wells. When  the  twiUght  fell  upon  him  here,  they 
thronged  to  meet  him  at  the  gates  of  morning ! 

Over  yonder  and  lingering  here,  there  are  multi- 
tudes who  thank  God  for  Dr.  Tuttle.  He  has 
been  to  them  inspiration  and  purpose ;  he  has 
taught  them  the  meaning  of  life ;  he  has  given 
them  glimpses  of  heaven.  It  was  worth  while  to 
have  lived  such  a  life.  I  have  turned  and  turned 
again  the  pages  of  his  book ;  I  have  read  and  re- 
read those  sermons  of  such  breadth  and  sweetness 
and  heavenly  aspiration  he  has  left  us ;  but  oh, 
the  sermon  he  is  preaching  us  to-day !  —  the  ser- 
mon that  comes  with  the  solemn  emphasis  of 
death  !  He  is  teaching  us  what  a  true  life  means. 
He  is  teaching  us  the  real  and  eternal  values.  To 
all  who  gather  here  to-day,  at  least  for  this  brief 
hour,  the  glamor  of  the  quest  for  gold  is  gone ; 
the  fever  is  stayed ;  the  struggle  is  hushed.  Who 
asks  or  cares  to-day  whether  Dr.  Tuttle  was  rich 
or  poor?  Who  cares  whether  he  left  anything 
behind  or  not?  He  has  left  a  spotless  name;  he 
has  taught  us  that  the  best  thing  in  life  is  love. 
It  was  what  he  wanted  most ;  it  was  what  he  gave 


BEYOND  THE  GATES  259 

most  freely.  He  has  taught  us  the  value  of  faith 
in  God  and  in  tlie  life  eternal.  By  this  faith  and 
in  this  love,  he  lived  and  worked.  Is  there  any- 
thing else,  O  friends  and  brethren,  that  is  worth 
our  supreme  thought  and  effort?  All  the  work 
of  our  hand  shall  perish ;  the  iron  will  melt  and 
the  granite  will  crumble.  Only  faith,  hope,  and 
love  abide ;  and  the  greatest  of  these  is  love  I 
And  this  is  the  lesson  of  his  life ! 

And  then,  dear  heart,  when  the  days  of  physi- 
cal weakness  came,  and  a  spell  fell  upon  his  active 
powers,  he  felt  sometimes  that  his  usefulness  was 
ended.  But  out  of  his  very  weakness  he  made  us 
strong.  For  he  did  not  give  up  and  lie  down 
to  abandon  the  struggle.  He  accepted  the  chal- 
lenge of  disease,  and,  turning  to  new  pursuits, 
bade  the  sun  and  moon  stand  still,  and  length- 
ened the  day  of  his  life  when  the  shadows  threat- 
ened to  fall.  And  down  to  the  very  last,  he 
found  new  and  enlarging  interests,  and  was  knock- 
ing at  gates  of  knowledge  yet  to  open.  I  never 
knew  a  man  who  had  a  stronger  hold  upon  both 
worlds.  He  loved  the  beautiful  in  nature  and  in 
art ;  the  high  and  noble  things  in  literature ;  the 
friendships  in  which  he  had  his  very  being ;  and 
all  the  time  he  had  a  faith  that  entered  within  the 
veil,  and  took  hold  on  things  invisible.  And  he 
himself  was  the  best  proof  of  immortality  — 
the  brain    that   persisted    in  its  work,  the  heart 


260  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

that  loved,  the  soul  that  made  melody  despite 
the  broken  instrument ! 

Of  what  he  has  been  to  me  during  these  years 
of  our  association,  I  dare  not  trust  myself  to 
speak.  The  fullest  heart  makes  sometimes  feeblest 
utterance.  I  do  not  hope  in  this  world  to  look 
upon  his  like  again.  And  if  I  never  see  him  in 
that  fairer  land  which  he  has  entered,  it  will 
be  because  he  will  be  so  near  the  central  glory  and 
I  so  far  away,  that  he  will  be  swallowed  up  in 
excess  of  light. 

And  now  we  lay  him  to  rest  in  that  beautiful 
spot  he  selected  and  helped  to  dedicate  as  the  city 
of  the  dead.  His  tomb  will  overlook  the  lakes  he 
loved.  There  by  the  side  of  the  wife  of  his  youth 
who  fell  asleep  beyond  the  sea ;  by  the  son  who 
was  long  the  strong  staff  upon  which  he  leaned, 
he  will  rest  through  drifting  snows  and  blooming 
springtimes,  while  nature  renews  from  year  to 
year  the  marvel  of  death  and  resurrection. 

And  yet  he  is  not  there,  and  those  he  loved  are 
not  there.  They  are  risen  —  risen  to  a  glad 
reunion,  risen  to  a  life  of  companionship,  unhin- 
dered, immortal,  "beyond  this  realm  of  broken 
ties." 

"  NOTHING   PAYS   BUT   GOODNESS  " 

Rev.  Henry  B.  Taylor,  of  St.  Paul,  wrote  to  the 
Leader :  "  On  the  severest  Saturday  of  the  Winter 


BEYOND  THE  GATES  261 

occurred  the  funeral  of  Dr.  Tuttle.  Who  that 
was  present  will  forget  the  occasion?  Great 
sorrow  there  was  at  the  thought,  we  are  not  to  see 
him  here  again ;  but,  too,  a  kind  of  solemn  joy 
that  such  a  man  had  lived,  and,  through  the  influ- 
ence of  his  full  life,  would  live  on,  even  here, 
blessing  generations  yet  unborn.  '  Ah,'  said  one 
to  another,  as  we  heard  the  last  note  of  victory 
in  the  funeral  march,  'Nothing  pays  at  last 

BUT    GOODNESS.'  " 

A    PRAYER 

(Written  for  Dr.  George  Montgomery  Tuttle) 

To  those  from  earth  ways  lately  passed. 
Thy  Infinite  is  strange  and  vast ; 
O,  with  the  tenderness  Thou  hast, 
Guide  him  now  gentlj'  at  the  last. 
God  of  the  old,  grant  this,  I  pray, 
Lead  him  a  little  lest  he  stray ; 
For  he,  upon  Thy  service  bent, 
Is  weary  grown  and  weak  and  spent. 
Show  him  Thy  glories,  one  by  one. 
Thy  kingdom  in  his  life  begun ; 
Since  he  is  frail  and  old,  give  space 
Lest  he  be  blinded  by  Thy  face. 
Idle  my  strength  which  shielded  him. 
Empty  my  heart,  with  memories  dim ; 
Lonely  my  hands  that  serve  no  more. 
I  would  not  call  him  from  that  shore. 
Where  stains  and  feebleness  of  earth 
Are  lost  in  glorious  heaven  birth ;  — 


262  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

I  only  ask,  when  strong  and  free 
He  faces  toward  eternity, 
In  worship,  praise,  and  love  for  Thee, 
He  sometimes  shall  remember  me. 

Alice  K.  Fallows. 
New  York,  December  8. 


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1 

CHURCH   OF  THE   REDEEMER, 
with   additions  of  I  903. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

"THE  CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER" 

Kingship  of  Character  —  Firm  Religious  Faith  —  Broad  Sym- 
pathies —  Loyalty  to  his  Church  —  Progressive  Spirit  —  Con- 
clusion. 

The  story  is  now  told.  The  earthly  career  of 
Dr.  Tuttle  is  ended.  His  form  rests  in  his  be- 
loved Lakewood.  The  story  is  now  told;  and, 
whatever  the  defects  in  the  telling,  it  is  hoped  that 
the  story  itself  may  be  to  many  an  inspiration  and 
help.  "  Our  comfort  is,"  to  use  the  words  of  Car- 
lyle,  "  that  great  men  taken  up  in  any  way  are 
profitable  company.  We  cannot  look,  however 
imperfectly,  upon  a  great  man,  without  gaining 
something  by  him.  He  is  the  living  light-foun- 
tain which  it  is  good  and  pleasant  to  be  near." 
Surely,  such  a  light-fountain  was  the  man  to 
whose  life  and  work  these  pages  are  devoted. 
Everyone  felt  that  "  it  was  good  to  be  near  him ;  " 
and  now,  while  "he  rests  from  his  labors,"  his 
"  works  do  follow  him."  His  influence  abides. 
The  story  is  told,  but  it  remains  —  even  at  the 
risk  of  possible  repetition  —  to  set  forth  its  les- 
sons in  the  clearest  light.  He  was  a  successful 
preacher,  he  was  a  builder  of  churches,  advancing 

263 


264  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

to  the  very  front  of  his  profession ;  but  he  was 
more.  What  was  behind  all  this  ?  What  won 
him  the  attention  of  crowded  auditories  ?  What 
drew  men  to  him  and  made  them  willing  to  build 
temples  at  his  suggestion  ?  The  answers  to  these 
questions  have  been  given  in  fragments,  from  time 
to  time,  as  the  narrative  has  run  on ;  but  it  is  im- 
portant so  to  state  them  that  they  shall  be  the  last 
things  to  meet  the  eye  of  the  reader,  and  the  ones 
that  shall  linger  longest  in  his  memory. 

THE    KINGSHIP   OF   CHARACTER 

The  first  thing  that  impressed  one  in  Dr.  Tuttle 
was  his  genuine  manhood.  "  Among  the  many  good 
and  wise  men  I  have  known,"  says  a  life-long 
friend,  "  I  do  not  hesitate  to  place  Dr.  J.  H.  Tut- 
tle in  the  front  rank  and  almost,  if  not  quite,  in  the 
first  place." 

"  To  me,"  says  Rev.  L.  D.  Boynton,  "  he  was  a 
great  preacher.  In  his  pulpit  efforts  he  may  not 
have  measured  up  to  the  arbitrary  standards  of 
homiletics.  In  point  of  literary  attainment,  pro- 
fundity of  thought  and  forensic  ability,  others  may, 
and  probably  have,  excelled  him.  But  if  to  gain 
and  hold  the  ear,  and  impress  and  win  the  heart  of 
an  audience,  is  the  test  of  supremacy  in  preaching, 
then  Dr.  Tuttle  was  a  great  preacher.  I  have 
never  known  an  audience  that  did  not  listen  when 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER    265 

he  spoke,  nor  have  I  ever  known  of  any  person 
who  was  not  impressed  by  what  he  said.  He  never 
fell  below  an  occasion.  His  choice  of  themes  and 
method  of  treatment  were  always  so  finely  adapted 
to  the  hour  and  the  place." 

But  whatever  Dr.  Tuttle  may  have  been  as 
a  preacher  or  organizer,  he  was  pre-eminently  a 
great  moral  and  spiritual  force.  He  himself  was 
the  power.  People  felt  that,  however  good  and 
great  the  sermon,  the  man  himself  was  greater  and 
better;  that  his  moral  qualities  were  more  effec- 
tive than  any  church  machinery  he  might  handle. 
When  he  spoke  of  goodness,  he  was  not  merely 
describing  it ;  he  was  giving  a  personal  experience. 
When  he  preached  about  love  and  sympathy  and 
righteousness,  people  felt  that  he  was  the  living 
sermon.  When  he  spoke  of  God  as  our  Father, 
they  knew  it  was  no  message  from  the  past  he  was 
imparting  in  worn-out  phrases ;  they  believed  that 
to  him  the  Fatherhood  of  God  was  a  precious  and 
perpetual  fact.  If  those  lips,  now  speechless  for- 
ever, could  break  their  marble  silence  to-day,  they 
would  admonish  the  preachers  of  the  gospel  every- 
where to  live  the  truth,  if  they  would  proclaim  it 
with  power.  The  words  of  Isaiah  or  Paul,  or 
Jesus  himself,  are  empty  and  meaningless  —  they 
are  but  sounding  brass  and  clanging  cymbals  —  un- 
less they  are  recharged,  whenever  they  are  uttered, 
with  the  life  and  spirit  of  Isaiah  and  Paul  and 
Jesus. 


266  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

When  the  writer  came  to  Minneapolis,  he  found 
that  all  people  spoke  well  of  Dr.  Tuttle.  He  was 
universally  respected  and  honored.  There  were 
men  in  the  city  who  had  done  great  things ;  who 
had  laid  the  foundations  of  vast  business  enter- 
prises ;  who,  for  that  time,  had  built  large  fortunes ; 
but  none  had  more  influence,  in  many  ways  — 
certainly  upon  the  city's  best  hfe — than  he. 
There  were  those  who  opposed  his  creed ;  and, 
indeed,  there  were  some  who  thought  he  was  doing 
great  harm  to  the  souls  of  men,  because  he  was  so 
good.  They  regretted  that  so  dangerous  a  heresy 
as  God's  final  triumph  should  have  so  exalted  an 
expounder.  There  was  "  a  kind  of  halo  of  good- 
ness about  him,  a  benignity  in  his  expression," 
which  impressed  even  the  children.  A  little  girl 
of  the  Sunday  school  asked  her  mother,  "  What 
does  God  look  hke  ? "  The  mother  could  not 
answer.  The  child,  however,  went  on  thinking  the 
matter  over,  all  by  herself,  until  one  day  she  came 
with  a  smile  and  exclaimed,  "  I  know  now  what 
God  looks  like ;  he  must  look  like  Dr.  Tuttle  !  " 

HIS   FIRM   RELIGIOUS   FAITH 

Here  was  a  man  who  believed  something,  and 
whose  belief  took  hold  of  him.  It  was  no  mere 
speculation ;  it  shaped  his  life.  "  As  I  see  it," 
says  Dr.  Atwood,  "  in  the  light  of  a  golden  mem- 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER    267 

ory  to-day,  the  forces  organized  in  Dr.  Tuttle,  and 
acting  on  the  life  around  him,  were  unfailing  faith 
in  a  good  God,  in  a  sane  universe,  in  the  suprem- 
acy of  right,  in  the  unbreakable  unity  of  mankind, 
in  love  as  the  key  to  every  soul,  and  in  the  final 
victory  of  good.  To  Dr.  Tuttle  these  were  not 
abstract  propositions,  —  theories  about  religion. 
They  were  great,  blessed,  beautiful  realities.  He 
no  more  thought  of  denjdng  them  or  of  ignoring 
them  in  daily  life,  than  of  refusing  the  air  or  the 
sunlight.  They  were  to  him  equally  palpable  and 
practical,  and  ahke  indispensable.  Here,  I  think, 
is  the  secret  of  that  unusual  quality  in  this  man 
which  distinguished  him  from  other  men.  He 
was  not  in  professional  or  theoretical  alliance  with 
God,  but  in  actual,  daily,  unbroken  co-partnership 
with  the  Father." 

While  his  own  faith  was  fixed  as  are  the 
mountains  round  about  Jerusalem,  he  always  had 
a  tender  side  and  a  good  word  for  those  who 
doubted.  Who  that  heard  the  remarkable  sermon 
he  preached  from  the  text,  "  Lord,  1  believe ;  help 
thou  mine  unbelief !  "  will  ever  forget  this  passage  : 
"Even  our  Saviour,  on  a  certain  occasion,  cried, 
'  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ? ' 
These  words  have  always  seemed  mysterious  to 
me,  and  once  in  my  life  painfully  so.  And  yet  at 
times  I  have  gathered  comfort  from  them.  For  if 
he  who  was  our  perfect   example ;  if   he   whose 


268  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

faith  overtopped  all  other  faith  that  has  ever  been 
in  the  world ;  if  he  even  for  a  moment  felt  that 
the  ground  was  giving  way  under  his  feet,  and 
that  his  Father's  face  was  receding  from  him,  — 
why  may  not  we,  in  our  smaller  agonies,  dare  to 
show  a  shrinking  trust,  a  faltering  prayer  ? " 
Upon  one  occasion  after  the  writer  himself  had 
preached,  a  young  man  came  to  him  and  asked, 
"  Do  you  receive  members  into  your  church  on  the 
basis  of  that  discourse,  love  to  God,  and  love  to 
man?"  The  reply  was,  "Certainly;  that  is  ex- 
actly what  we  do.  We  have  no  right  to  require 
anything  else."  When  this  incident  was  related 
to  Dr.  Tuttle,  he  heartily  approved  the  answer. 
Then  he  added,  in  his  characteristic  way :  "  I  would 
receive  into  the  church  any  one  who  believed  in 
the  second  of  those  commandments,  even  if  he 
were  not  certain  of  the  first;  and  I  should  trust 
him  to  find  his  way  sometime  to  the  first  through 
the  second." 

HIS   BROAD  SYMPATHIES 

Dr.  Tuttle's  theology  would  have  been  called 
conservative  in  the  days  when  the  foolish  contro- 
versy between  radicalism  and  conservatism  was 
on;  but  he  could  see  the  good  in  all  men,  no 
matter  how  widely  they  differed  with  his  opinions. 
On  one  occasion,  mention  was  made  of  a  very 
brilliant  clergyman  and  a  man  of  high  character. 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER     269 

whom  Dr.  Tuttle  greatly  admired,  but  whose  views 
he  deprecated.     He  closed  the    conversation    by 

saying,  "  Brother  S says  some  things  that  I 

wish  he  would  not  say ;  but  I  would  like  to  be  as 
good  a  Christian  as  he." 

This  sympathy  for  everything  that  was  good 
and  noble  made  him  prominent  in  all  the  benevo- 
lent work  of  the  city.  He  was  constantly  called 
upon  from  the  outside,  for  his  counsel  and  help. 
It  was  because  he  was  not  narrow  and  sectarian. 
He  belonged  to  everybody.  A  letter  that  came  to 
the  writer  after  Dr.  Tuttle's  death,  from  one  of 
the  most  prominent  Presbyterians  in  the  city, 
says :  "  I  stop  this  morning  to  remind  you  that  I 
am  one  of  the  bereaved.  .  .  .  Goodness  is  a 
divine  attribute,  and  Dr.  Tuttle  possessed  it  in  a 
remarkable  degree.  It  was  the  goodness  of  the 
man  that  drew  me  to  him,  and  I  shall  always 
hold  his  memory  in  affectionate  remembrance." 
"  When  people  needed  him,"  to  quote  once  more 
from  Dr.  Atwood,  "  no  matter  who  they 
were,  or  what  they  had  done,  or  what  had  hap- 
pened, he  went  to  them  full  of  loving  comfort 
and  wise  counsel.  I  chanced  to  be  in  Minne- 
apolis when  a  young  man  was  awaiting  trial  for  a 
particularly  atrocious  murder.  He  was  affecting 
'Dare  Devil  Dick,'  and  regaling  the  reporters 
with  dissertations  pitched  in  a  low  key  of  deprav- 
ity.    Alluding    to   the   case.  Dr.  Tuttle   said,   'I 


270  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

must  go  and  see  his  poor  mother,  and  I  must  go 
and  see  him.  They  belong  to  us.  The  family 
formerly  attended  our  church,  I  remember  that 
boy  when  he  was  fair  and  full  of  promise. 
Brother  Atwood,'  said  he,  turning  suddenly  as  he 
spoke,  '  that  young  man  might  just  as  well  be 
where  your  son  is,  in  the  Christian  pulpit,  as  to 
be  in  a  felon's  cell,  if  he  had  been  trained  as 
he  sho'ild  have  been.'  " 

LOYALTY   TO   HIS   CHUKCH 

With  all  his  outreaching  sympathies,  with  all 
his  interest  in  the  good  work  going  on  outside,  he 
was  loyal  to  his  denomination,  as  these  pages  have 
shown ;  and  always  devoted,  first  and  foremost,  to 
the  Church  of  the  Redeemer.  Here  the  great 
work  of  his  life  had  been  done.  This  church  was 
his  pride  and  glory.  "  Above  his  chief  joy,  he 
remembered  this  Zion."  Whenever  he  builded 
elsewhere,  he  felt  that  he  stood  upon  the  vantage- 
ground  afforded  by  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer. 
Never,  even  in  his  deepest  affliction,  when  help- 
less under  the  blow  that  smote  him,  did  the  wel- 
fare and  prosperity  of  that  church  cease  to  lie 
upon  his  loving  heart.  On  Easter  Day,  1903,  a 
telegram  was  sent  to  him,  conveying  the  good 
wishes  of  the  congregation  and  notifying  him  of  a 
large  accession  to  the  church.  Immediately,  he 
penned  this  reply : 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER     271 

Dear  Dr.  Shutter:  Your  telegram  came  into  my 
hand  this  morning.  I  was,  as  you  can  easily  imagine, 
and  as  you  knew  I  would  be,  exceedingly  delighted !  — 
delighted  at  the  greeting  from  the  congregation,  at  the 
glorious  news  that  so  many  had  joined  the  church,  and 
that  you  were  so  thoughtful  and  kind  as  to  send  the  tele- 
gram. I  was  thrilled  through  and  through  with  joy.  It 
must  have  been  a  happy  day  to  you,  —  to  you  all.  Never 
before  did  so  many  join  at  one  time.  The  greatest  num- 
ber at  one  service  joined  at  the  time  you  came  into  the 
church.  I  congratulate  you  and  the  church.  .  .  .  How  I 
wish  I  could  have  been  there,  and  shared  the  grand  occa- 
sion with  you!  One  of  the  daj's  among  the  great  num- 
ber to  be  remembered  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer. 
It  must  have  been  a  "  red  letter"  day. 

PROGRESSIVE    SPIRIT 

Dr.  Tuttle  was  always  kept  fully  advised  of 
the  work  of  the  church,  especially  of  the  new 
lines  of  activity  undertaken.  He  heard  from  many 
sources  of  what  was  being  done.  He  was  in  per- 
fect sympathy  with  every  practical  departure  from 
traditional  lines.  No  one  more  fully  and  intelli- 
gently grasped  the  trend  of  the  modern  world, 
or  approved  more  heartily  of  the  re-adjustments 
going  on  in  the  churches  to  adapt  themselves  to 
new  conditions.  He  realized  that  Minneapolis 
was  no  longer  a  village,  and  that  village  methods 
had  ceased  to  apply  in  churches  belonging  to 
a  metropolis  that  dominated  the  empire  of  the 
Northwest.     Had  his  active  life   been  prolonged 


272  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

another  decade,  he  would  have  thrown  himseK, 
with  all  the  old-time  ardor  and  enthusiasm  of  his 
nature,  into  what,  for  want  of  a  better  name,  is 
called  "  institutional  work ; "  but  which,  in  real- 
ity, is  simply  the  old-fashioned  gospel  of  brother- 
hood and  love  applying  itself  to  the  problems  of 
the  time.  He  wrote  to  the  author  (June  9,  1901), 
"  You  have  been  working  hard,  and  with  grand 
results.  I  think  the  idea  of  a  Summer  training- 
school,^  which  Mrs.  Shutter  and  you  have  suc- 
ceeded in  securing,  is  a  good  thing.  How  much 
more  church  work  means,  in  these  days,  than  it 
used  to !  Religion  is  coming  to  mean  a  life  rather 
than  a  dogma,  —  a  doing  something  rather  than  a 
believing  something." 

Holding  such  sentiments  in  regard  to  the  work 
of  a  church,  it  was  with  profound  satisfaction  that 
Dr.  Tuttle  heard  (early  in  1903)  of  the  proposi- 
tion to  make  such  changes  in  the  building  as 
would  make  possible  more  and  better  up-to-date 

*  Dr.  Tuttle  refers  here  to  the  public  playgrounds  and  vaca- 
tion schools  in  which  the  pastor  and  his  wife  were  actively 
interested  from  the  beginning,  but  which  had  no  connection 
with  the  church  other  than  the  personal  work  and  contribu- 
tions of  certain  of  its  members.  A  sketch  of  the  history  of 
this  movement  is  given  in  the  "Report  for  1903."  It  began 
with  playgrounds,  and  gradually  added  one  feature  after 
another,  until  1901,  through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  Shutter,  in  the 
Mother's  Club  of  Unity  House,  a  contribution  was  given  which 
added  the  vacation  schools  to  the  playgrounds.  It  was  this 
fact  which  Dr.  Tuttle  had  in  mind. 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER     273 

work  in  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer.  He  writes : 
"  I  shall  be  interested  in  seeing  the  changes  you 
are  making  in  the  church  building."  June  8, 
1903,  he  goes  into  the  subject  more  fully : 

Dear  Dr.  Shutter  :  The  news  in  your  last 
letter  interested  and  pleased  and  surprised  me  not 
a  little.  I  have  long  felt  that  such  large  and 
expensive  churches  as  the  Church  of  the  Re- 
deemer should  not  be  shut  up  so  much  of  the  time. 
Things  there  have  been  tending  towards  a  larger 
work.  The  beginning  of  the  larger  dispensation  was 
your  Settlement  work^  I  think.  That  showed  you 
the  great  good  the  church  was  capable  of.  You 
hiive  been  growing  into  the  idea  as  well  as  into 
tlie  power  of  an  Every  Day  Church.  ...  I  am  glad 
the  church  is  branching  out  in  its  undertakings. 
It  is  astonishing  how  much  missionary  work  of 
one  kind  and  another  some  of  the  churches  in  this 
city  are  doing.  I  brought  home,  yesterday,  a  pro- 
gram of  work  from  Dr.  Mackey's  church,  which 
I  will  send  you.  It  may  interest  you  to  look  it 
over.  That  is  a  grand  thing  for  Mr.  Lowry  and 
Mr.  Morrison  to  do.  There  is  great  wealth  in  our 
church,  and  it  should  be  utilized  in  behalf  of  our 
cause,  more  than  it  has  been.  I  suppose  I  will 
hardly  know  the  church  when  I  see  it.  I  am 
glad    your   assistant    proves    so    satisfactory.      I 

*  Unity  House,  founded  in  1897.  The  history  of  this  work 
is  now  being  written. 


274  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

had  a  line  from  Dr.  Bisbee.  .  .  .  He  was  much 
pleased  with  the  outlook  of  our  cause  in  the 
Northwest,  in  Minneapolis  particularly. 

CONCLUSION 

Such  was  James  Harvey  Tuttle  in  his  work, 
his  character,  his  faith,  his  sympathy,  his  loyalty 
to  his  church,  and  his  progressive  spirit.  The 
story  of  his  career  is  the  story  of  a  Christian  min- 
ister, and  of  what  may  be  accomplished  in  that  high 
calling.  Was  it  worth  while  ?  The  young  men  of 
to-day,  —  so  many  of  them,  —  are  turning  their 
attention  to  enterprises  where  financial  rewards 
may  be  won.  The  life  of  Dr.  Tuttle  was  a  stand- 
ing protest  against  the  materialism  of  this  age,  — 
whether  it  appears  in  philosophy  or  in  business. 
Does  not  the  career  of  such  a  man  teach  us  that 
there  is  still  a  place  for  the  highest  talents  and  the 
most  complete  furnishing,  in  the  Christian  pulpit 
and  in  the  leadership  and  organization  of  the  forces 
that  make  for  righteousness  ?  Can  any  calling  be 
superior  to  that  which  is  charged  with  keeping 
high  the  aims  and  ideals  of  mankind,  and  supply- 
ing moral  incentive  and  inspiration  ?  Is  there  any 
work  on  earth  more  important  than  that  which  ap- 
plies the  principles  of  religion  to  all  human  rela- 
tionships and  interests,  and  seeks  to  answer  the 
prayer  of  the  Master,  "  Thy  Kingdom  come ;  Thy 


CONCLUSION  OF  THE  WHOLE  MATTER    275 

Will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  Heaven  "  ?  Can 
anything  be  more  blessed  than  to  administer  the 
consolations  of  God  to  the  weary,  the  discouraged, 
the  bereaved  ?  When  all  has  been  said  and  done, 
this  world  is  not  a  finality ;  nothing  is  final  but  the 
character  we  form.  Is  it  not  worth  while  for 
young  men  to  consecrate  their  lives  and  energies  to 
something  that  will  last  after  the  iron  has  rusted 
and  the  granite  crumbled  ?  And  may  we  not  hope 
that  the  tide  which  is  bearing  so  many  out  to  other 
destinies,  will  some  day  return  ?  May  we  not  look 
for  a  revival  of  zeal  in  the  greatest  work  that  can 
appeal  to  the  spirit  of  sacrifice  and  service  ?  Tri- 
umphant above  all  the  victories  of  time  must  be 
the  experience  that  can  voice  itself  —  as  could  the 
experience  of  Dr.  Tuttle  —  in  the  serene  words  of 
the  Apostle  :  "  Z  have  fought  the  good  fight,  I  have 
finished  the  course,  T  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth 
there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  Crown  of  Righteousness, 
which  the  Lord,  the  Righteous  Judge,  shall  give  to 
me  at  that  day :  and  not  only  to  me,  hut  also  to  all 
them  that  have  loved  His  appearing" 


APPENDIX 


I 
Letter  of  License 

To  all  whom  it  may  concern: 

This  certifies  that  Bro.  James  H.  Tuttle  has  this 
day  received  the  fellowship  of  the  Mohawk  River 
Association  of  Universalists  as  a  preacher  of  the  ever- 
lasting gospel  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  is  hereby 
recommended  as  such  to  the  kindness  and  brotherly 
love  of  all  believers  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
societies  and  churches  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel 
wherever  God  in  His  providence  shall  open  a  door 
or  call  him  to  labor. 

Done  at  the  annual  session  of  the  Mohawk  River 
Association  of  Universalists  at  Newport,  this  fifteenth 
day  of  June,  A.  D.,  1843. 

D.  Skinnek,  Moderator. 

John  W.  Hicks,  Standing  Clerk. 

II 

Certificate  of  Ordination 

Richfield  Springs,  N.  Y.,  January  11, 1844. 

This  will  certify  that  at  an  Ordaining  Council  held  in 

this  place,  this  day,  on  application  of  the  Universalist 

Society  in  this  village,  and  in  accordance  with  the 

Report  of  the  Committee  of  Fellowship  and  Ordina- 

276 


APPENDIX  277 

tion  of  the  Ostego  Association,  it  was  resolved  to 
ordain  Bro.  James  H.  Tuttle  as  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  and  he  was  accordingly  ordained. 

0.  Whiston,  Moderator  of  the  Council. 

Henry  Lyon,  Clerk. 

Ill 

A  Pupil   of   Dr.   Sawyer 
{From  a  Letter  by  Dr.  Tuttle) 

I  knew  Dr.  Sawyer  forty-five  years  ago  and  more, 
was  a  student  of  his  at  the  Clinton  Liberal  Institute, 
located  then  at  Clinton,  N.Y.,  now  at  Fort  Plain.  He 
was  then  in  his  prime,  and  acting  in  his  double  capa- 
city of  teacher  and  preacher,  having  charge  of  the  In- 
stitute and  of  the  Universalist  Church  in  the  village. 
Those  whom  he  instructed  in  the  class-room,  he  ad- 
dressed from  the  pulpit  on  Sunday,  He  taught  the 
theological  students  in  one  place  how  to  become 
preachers,  and,  in  the  other,  he  taught  them  through 
his  example  how  to  preach.  I  was  young,  inexperi- 
enced, too  far  behind  him  in  years  and  wisdom  to  be 
admitted  into  his  close  confidence,  but  I  saw  and 
learned  enough  of  him  to  wish  sincerely  that  I  might 
some  day,  as  nearly  as  possible,  become  just  such  a 
personage. 

IV 

Letter  from   Mrs.    George   W.   Montgomery 

Rochester,  August  15,  1904. 
Of  his  early  history  I  am  not  able  to  give  you  any 
information.    I  only  know  that  he  was  pastor  of  the 


278  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

churches  at  Richfield.  Springs  and  at  Fulton,  N.  Y., 
whence  he  came  to  Rochester.  The  Doctor  (Mont- 
gomery) had  met  him  at  ministerial  meetings,  and 
when  his  health  failed  him,  felt  assured  that  he 
(Tuttle)  was  the  man  for  Rochester.  .  .  .  His  ability 
in  the  pulpit  was  strong  and  convincing ;  his  pure 
life,  his  genial  manners,  won  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  He  gained  such  esteem  and  regard  in 
the  estimation  of  all  who  knew  him,  that  they 
rendered  him  a  friendship  that  will  never  die.  Dr. 
Tuttle  was  my  husband's  closest  and  dearest  friend ; 
there  was  perfect  harmony  between  them,  which  was 
continued  unabated,  and  I  have  faith  to  think  that 
it  still  continues. 

V 
Dedication    of    Lakewood    Cemetery 

In  July,  1871,  after  the  subject  of  a  new  cemetery 
had,  for  some  time,  been  under  discussion,  an  informal 
meeting  of  citizens  was  held,  at  which  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  make  investigations  and  report. 
The  committee  reported  in  August  to  another  meeting 
of  citizens,  called  to  effect  an  organization.  The  fol- 
lowing trustees  were  elected  :  William  S.  King,  H,  G, 
Harrison,  W.  D.  Washburn,  George  A.  Brackett,  D. 
Morrison,  Dr.  C.  G.  Goodrich,  W.  P.  Westfall,  Levi 
Butler,  and  R.  J.  Mendenhall.  Dr.  C.  G.  Goodrich 
was  elected  president ;  A.  B.  Barton,  Superintendent 
and  Secretary;  and  R.  J.  Mendenhall,  Treasurer. 
The  Committee  of  Investigation  reported  that,  "  after 
a  thorough  examination  of  the  suburbs  of  the  city, 


APPENDIX  279 

they  had  selected  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  of 
undulating  land  lying  between  Lakes  Calhoun  and 
Harriet."  The  report  was  accepted,  and  the  Trus- 
tees were  instructed  to  purchase  the  grounds.  The 
land  thus  purchased  was  formally  set  apart  for  the 
uses  of  a  cemetery,  September  16, 1872.  The  address 
was  delivered  by  Dr.  Tuttle  : 

"  We  have  gathered  here  to-day  to  dedicate  these 
grounds  to  the  purpose  of  a  cemetery,  to  set  apart 
this  spot  as  a  resting-place  for  our  loved  ones  when 
death  has  called  them  away.  And  where  is  there  a 
lovelier  spot  than  this  —  one  better  fitted  by  nature 
for  death's  silent  repose  ?  .  .  .  The  name  you  have 
chosen  for  these  grounds,  Lakewood  Cemetery,  is 
not  less  beautiful  nor  less  appropriate  than  Mount 
Auburn,  Greenwood,  Laurel  Hill,  Mount  Hope. 
We  have,  as  this  title  indicates,  lake  and  wood, 
shade  and  water,  both  of  which,  while  they  grat- 
ify our  aesthetic  sense,  are  suggestive  of  peace  and 
rest.  The  Saviour  retired  to  the  shady  '  garden ' 
and  the  '  still  mountain '  for  prayer ;  the  disciples, 
for  a  like  purpose,  went  at  '  evening '  to  the  <  river's 
side';  you  will  come  and  lay  your  dead  down  in 
their  graves  on  the  shores  of  this  lake,  while  the 
beauty  and  quiet  always  found  here  will  subdue  your 
grief  and  tranquilize  your  spirits." 


280  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

VI 

Address  at  Dedication  of   Milleks'    Monument 
(1885) 

The  disaster  commemorated  in  the  dedication  of 
the  Millers'  Monument,  occurred  on  Thursday  evening, 
May  2,  1878.  Shortly  after  7.30,  the  city  was  startled 
by  an  explosion  that  shook  every  building  for  miles, 
and  destroyed  the  heavy  plate-glass  windows  in  many 
business  blocks.  There  was  an  ominous  glare  in  the 
direction  of  the  milling  district.  It  was  found  that 
an  explosion  had  taken  place  in  the  large  Washburn 
Mill,  followed  by  the  destruction  of  the  Humboldt, 
Diamond,  and  other  mills  near  to  it.  A  great  confla- 
gration raged  all  night  and  threatened  all  that  section 
of  the  city.  The  explosion  was  caused  by  long  accumu- 
lations of  flour  dust  upon  walls  and  machinery. 
Eighteen  men  lost  their  lives  in  the  wreck.  A  monu- 
ment to  these  dead  workmen  was  erected  in  Lake- 
wood,  by  the  Head  Millers'  Association.  The  dedica- 
tory address  was  delivered  by  Dr.  Tuttle.  Following 
are  extracts  from  this  address  : 

"The  event  your  president  has  just  described 
passes  before  us  in  painful  vividness.  Too  well  we 
remember  the  awful  hour.  Too  well  we  recall  the 
startling  shock,  the  ominous  roar  and  rumble,  and 
then  the  second  report  as  though  a  thunder-bolt  had 
shot  up  from  beneath  us,  splitting  the  air  in  twain  ; 
the  mighty  shaking  of  the  ground,  the  trembling  of  the 
houses,   suggesting  the  gigantic   throes  of  an  earth- 


APPENDIX  281 

quake ;  the  rush  of  the  people  into  the  streets,  with 
white  fear  in  their  faces  and  aching  wonder  in  their 
hearts.  ...  It  was  discovered,  at  last,  that  flour 
mills  constructed  after  the  manner  of  these,  were 
hardly  more  safe  than  magazines  of  powder.  .  .  .  The 
fear  led  to  investigation,  investigation  to  invention, 
and  invention,  reaching  finally  the  root  of  the  evil, 
applied  a  successful  remedy.  And  so,  out  of  the 
calamity,  as  is  often  the  case  in  this  world,  through 
the  providence  of  God,  a  good  was  born.  .  .  .  You 
did  not  forget,  and  none  of  us  here  to-day  should  forget, 
that  these  men  who  died  in  their  harness  of  work,  and 
whose  names  you  have  inscribed  on  this  stone,  were 
laboring  men,  and  were  faithfully  engaged  when  death 
found  them,  in  useful,  honest  employment.  From 
what  more  honorable  positions  could  they  have  been 
taken  ?  In  what  better  attitude  could  they  have 
ended  their  days,  than  that  of  honest  toil  ?  And 
among  the  many  kinds  of  labor,  which  one  is  more 
useful,  or  more  necessary,  or  more  praiseworthy,  than 
this  particular  one  in  which  these  men  were  engaged  ? 
.  .  .  Christ  taught  us  to  pray  for  our  daily  bread  ; 
and  might  we  not  all  properly  add  a  prayer  for  him 
who  has  most  perfectly  learned  the  art  of  furnishing 
this  food,  who  is  every  day  hard  at  work  in  creating 
it?  ...  An  interesting  incident  occurred  in  the 
building  of  the  present  Washburn  A.  Mill,  the  mill 
occupying  the  site  of  the  old  one  destroyed.  Mr.  C. 
C.  AVashburn,  kindly  remembering  the  unfortunate 
victims  who  fell  in  the  ruins  of  the  former  structure, 
desiring  to  make  some  lasting   expression  of  regard 


282  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

and  sympathy  for  them,  to  mark  the  new  building 
with  some  distinct  recognition  of  the  honor  due  to 
their  occupation,  as  well  as  to  the  general  dignity  of 
labor  itself,  caused  these  words  of  Thomas  Carlyle  to 
be  inscribed  on  a  marble  slab  and  placed  in  plain  view 
in  one  of  the  walls  of  the  mill :  '  Labor  wide  as  the 
earth  has  its  summit  in  heaven.'  You  have  tran- 
scribed these  words  to  this  monument.  .  .  .  On  one 
side  of  the  monolith  we  observe  the  figure  of  a  broken 
wheel.  This  symbol  of  broken  lives,  lives  interrupted, 
broken  down,  cut  off  in  some  way,  and  before  time 
and  work  have  worn  them  out,  suggests  the  many 
dangers  we  walk  among,  the  alarming  frequency  of 
fatal  accidents.  What  multitudes  of  lives  are  sud- 
denly broken  every  year  by  one  or  another  terrible 
casualty  !  And  these  casualties  seem  to  multiply.  As 
our  civilization,  our  opportunities,  our  work,  our 
achievements  increase,  our  dangers  increase.  We 
seem  obliged  to  offer  our  lives  as  a  sacrifice  to  our 
advancing  greatness  and  power.  The  invention  of 
machinery  invites  the  chances  of  being  destroyed  by 
it.  The  wheels  of  existence  are  so  numerous,  run  so 
busily  and  so  rapidly,  what  wonder  is  it  if  one  breaks 
now  and  then  ?  Our  lives  here  are  mortal,  and  hang 
on  slender  supports.  But  the  broken  wheel,  while  it 
may  remind  us  of  our  present  earthly  conditions,  need 
not  be  accepted  as  the  final  symbol  of  human  being. 
The  resurrection,  and  the  future  life,  let  us  hope,  will 
mend  what  is  broken  here  and  restore  what  is  lost. 
Let  us,  then,  select  for  ourselves  another  symbol  here 
to-day ;  let  this  whole  granite  shaft,  rising  in  its  lofty 


APPENDIX  283 

strength  and  pointing  toward  the  skies,  stand  as  the 
index  of  our  Christian  faith,  which  shows  the  high  and 
glorious  way  those  souls  have  gone,  which  left  their 
broken  bodies  behind." 


VII 
Remarks  at  the  Funeral  Service  of  the  Rand 

AND    CoYKENDALL    FAMILIES    (1885) 

If  I  had  the  choice  of  obeying  my  own  feelings  on 
this  occasion,  I  should  close  my  mouth  and  sit  down 
with  this  family  and  with  these  friends,  and  mingle 
my  tears  with  theirs.  I  feel  so  overpowered  and  cast 
down  by  what  has  happened,  and  by  what  I  see  before 
me,  that  my  utterance  may  fail,  and  even  my  thoughts 
may  leave  me.  Almost  the  fittest  expression  for  such 
a  time  as  this,  is  humble,  reverent  silence.  What  can 
we  do  more  than  bow  our  heads  before  our  Heavenly 
Father  in  meekness,  confessing  our  feebleness,  our 
perplexities,  and  our  sorrows,  waiting  for  the  help  of 
God!  Fortunately  for  you,  and  myself,  it  is  not 
expected,  nor  is  it  desired,  that  I  shall  refer  at  all  to 
the  details  of  this  indescribable  calamity;  that  I 
should  dwell  upon  it  in  any  way  or  in  any  part.  In 
the  few  words  which  I  may  have  the  strength  to 
speak,  I  will  only  call  your  attention  to  some  thoughts 
our  religion  suggests  to  us  in  such  a  trial  as  this,  to 
some  light  which  Christianity  sends  down  to  this,  our 
terrible  darkness.  For  surely,  there  is  not  much  light 
and  much  explanation  elsewhere.  The  problem  re- 
mains unsolved,  unless  it  is  solved  by  Divine  Revela- 


284  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

tion ;  for,  if  we  are  left  to  our  own  wisdom,  to  human 
knowledge,  and  even  to  human  science,  we  might  still 
shrink  from  the  contemplation  of  this  subject.  If  we 
have  nothing  else  to  look  forward  to,  we  stand  before 
this  calamity  with  an  agony  as  dumb  as  it  is  deep. 
But  let  us  conceive,  my  friends,  once  this  life  is  con- 
tinued on  into  the  future,  that  all  death  can  do  and 
does  do,  is  to  open  the  door  of  that  future ;  all  that 
death  can  do  and  does,  is  to  break  the  chain  which 
binds  us  to  this  world,  and  give  us  the  greater  free- 
dom of  eternity.  Death  is,  after  all,  not  death.  If  it 
is  only  a  transition  ;  if  we  do  not  really  die  after  all, 
but  only  exchange  worlds,  from  this  world  of  sadness 
and  trial,  to  one  of  sunshine  and  love  ;  if  death  does 
not  destroy  the  soul  or  its  powers ;  if  friends  who 
separate  here  for  a  time,  and  for  a  short  time  only, 
are  sure  to  meet  again  and  to  meet  with  their  former 
love  for  each  other,  to  dwell  together  forever  —  then 
surely,  there  is  something  to  sustain  us,  there  is  some- 
thing to  comfort  us.  Let  us  remember  the  Divine 
Word  says,  "  Humble  yourselves,  therefore,  under  the 
mighty  hand  of  God,  that  He  may  exalt  you  in  due 
time ;  casting  all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  He  careth 
for  you."  As  mysterious  as  all  this  seems,  as  dark 
and  cruel  as  it  may  appear,  let  us  believe  that  it  is  all 
under  the  eye  and  control  of  Divine  Wisdom  and  Divine 
Love,  and  that  God  will  order  it  all  to  a  greater  issue 
than  we  are  now  able  to  see.  "  Weeping  may  endure 
for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  morning,"  This  is 
God's  promise,  and  He  will  fulfill  it.  The  clouds  that 
are  so  thick  and  dark  about  us  now,  will  break  at  last, 


APPENDIX  285 

and  we  shall  see  the  sunshine  of  God's  smile  once 
more.  I  never  saw,  I  think,  in  all  my  acquaintance, 
a  happier  family  than  was  this  ;  a  more  united  family, 
one  that  brought  more  sunshine  to  each  other  and  to 
all  their  friends.  This  house  always  seemed  to  me  a 
home  in  the  highest  and  truest  sense.  The  love  that 
reigned  here  was  marked,  and  it  was  beautiful  to 
behold ;  and  it  seems  to  me  that  there  is  yet  some 
comfort  in  the  beautiful  thought  that  husband  and 
wife  were  not  separated  ;  that  they  have  some  of  their 
children  with  them,  and  that  they  have  a  home,  if  but 
part  of  one,  in  the  higher  and  more  beautiful  life. 
The  heads  of  this  family  had  been  heard  to  say,  that 
when  they  left  this  world,  they  hoped  to  leave  sud- 
denly and  together.  They  left  it  suddenly ;  they  left 
it  together.  Lovely  and  pleasant  in  their  life,  they 
are  not  divided  in  their  death.  One  of  the  homes  is 
complete  on  the  other  side.  Let  us  believe  that  if 
they  could  speak  to  us  to-day,  all  of  them  from  their 
higher  life  and  their  more  beautiful  life,  they  would 
speak  words  of  encouragement  and  cheer.  If  they 
were  in  our  place,  and  we  were  in  theirs,  let  us 
remember  how  cheerfully  they  would  speak,  what 
courage  and  faith  they  would  have.  They  have  passed 
their  striiggles.  They  are  in  that  beautiful  land  where 
shadows  come  not,  and  farewells  are  not  spoken. 


286  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

VIII 

Letter  to  Thomas  Lowrt 

{Mr.  Lowry  had  presented  the  church  a  portrait  of  Dr.  Tuttle 
done  by  Powers,  the  St.  Louis  painter) 

Minneapolis,  November  17,  1885. 
Deab  Sir:  If  the  gift  from  you  of  my  shadow 
to  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  is  considered,  as  it 
seems  to  be,  a  great  favor  to  the  church,  it  is  certainly 
a  great  honor  to  me.  It  is,  perhaps,  indelicate  for  me 
to  say  anything  about  the  matter,  and  yet  I  have  felt 
every  day  since  the  affair  occurred,  that  I  wanted  to 
thank  you  from  my  inmost  heart.  I  was  not  at  all 
surprised  at  your  kindness  and  generosity,  for  they 
have  become  too  common  to  surprise  any  of  us,  but  I 
never  imagined  that  you  could  think  my  face  of 
enough  consequence  to  be  treated  in  this  distinguished 
maimer ;  that  you  could  wish,  when  I  had  disappeared 
from  the  pulpit,  to  have  my  reflection  seen  on  the 
walls.  Well,  I  love  every  stone  in  that  church ;  I 
love  the  people  that  worship  there,  as  I  never  loved 
any  other  on  the  earth ;  and  there  is  no  place,  I 
assure  you,  where  I  have  more  desire  to  be  remem- 
bered. I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  you  for  the 
gracious  favor  you  have  thus  shown  to  me  and  to  my 
congregation. 

Yours  truly,  J.  H.  Tuttle. 


APPENDIX  287 


IX 

Some  Letters  of  Congratulation  on  Dr.  Tuttle's 
Twenty-fifth  Anniversary 

From  President  Cyrus  Northrop,  of  the  State  University 

At  Sea,  near  Liverpool,  June  21,  1891. 
I  have  received,  since  I  came  on  board  the  vessel, 
a  verbal  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  celebration  of 
the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  Dr.  Tuttle's  ministry 
in  Minneapolis.  It  would  give  me  the  greatest  de- 
light to  be  present  on  that  occasion,  if  circumstances 
permitted  —  as,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  they  do  not.  I 
have  already,  on  one  or  two  occasions,  shocked  the 
modesty  of  the  dear  doctor,  by  publicly  expressing 
my  personal  regard  for  him  and  my  estimation  of 
his  worth.  I  will  not  do  it  again,  but  I  beg  you  to 
convey  to  him  my  most  hearty  congratulations,  on  a 
day  that  must  be  full  of  precious  and  delightful  mem- 
ories to  him,  and  to  count  me  in  the  public  assembly 
among  those  who  heartily  love  him. 

From  Rev.  A.  A.  Miner,  D.D. 

Dr.  Tuttle  is  one  of  the  men  of  whom  our  church 
has  good  reason  to  be  proud.  Noble  in  character, 
sound  in  the  faith,  diligent  in  his  profession,  and 
wise  in  his  methods,  he  has  impressed  his  Christian 
personality,  not  only  upon  the  whole  Northwest, 
but  upon  every  section  of  our  general  church. 
His  magnificent  success  in  his  own  city  is  a  fine  in- 
centive to  all  our  young  men  for  heroic  planning,  per- 


288  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

sonal  consecration,  and  assiduous  toil.  This  closing 
portion  of  our  century's  work  will  be  all  the  richer 
and  all  the  more  satisfactory  for  the  large  and 
healthful  contributions  he  has  made  thereto.  Please 
bear  to  him  my  warmest  tribute  and  heartiest  thanks 
for  the  great  service  he  has  rendered  the  kingdom  of 
God  in  the  world.  Nor  can  I  withhold  my  recognition 
of  the  generous  and  Christian  manner  in  which  the 
people  of  Minneapolis  have  seconded  his  every  effort. 
I  shall  long  remember  the  pleasant  occasions  I  have 
enjoyed  among  them. 

From  Rev.  J.  S.  Cantwell,  D.D. 

Chicago,  July  9,  1891. 
You  do  not  need  to  be  assured  of  my  hearty  interest 
in  your  anniversary.  In  common  with  our  entire 
church,  I  rejoice  at  the  completion  of  your  twenty- 
fifth  year  of  pastoral  service  with  the  Church  of  the 
Redeemer.  It  has  been  a  ministry  which  has  greatly 
honored  our  church,  and  yielded  blessed  results,  not 
only  for  your  own  city,  but  for  Universalism  through- 
out the  Northwest.  The  occasion  of  Sunday  and 
Monday  next  will  be  memorable,  and  our  whole 
church  will  take  a  special  pride  in  the  observance ; 
for  it  celebrates  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  a  pas- 
torate which  has  made  us  all  stronger,  and  given  us, 
under  God,  much  cause  for  devout  gratitude  and  joy. 

From  Bev.  Robert  Collyer 

New  York,  July  1,  1891. 
I  would  love  to  be  with  you  when  you  meet  to  hold 
that  festival,  and  join  with  you  all  in  your  congratu- 


APPENDIX  289 

lations.  Brother  Tuttle  is  my  dear  friend,  and  has  been 
for  a  great  many  years.  We  never  knew  the  day 
when  we  were  not  good  comrades  from  the  time  when 
we  first  drew  together  in  Chicago,  and  so  it  will  be,  I 
know,  to  the  end  of  the  story.  And  the  church  of 
which  he  has  been  the  honored  minister  all  these 
years,  has  shared  the  common  blessing  of  his  friend- 
ship and  fellowship,  as  well  as  of  his  sincere  and 
noble  ministry.  Dr.  Bethune,  of  this  city,  used  to  say 
that  he  thought  short  pastorates  were  a  merciful  inter- 
position of  Providence  in  behalf  of  the  congregations  ; 
but  this  has  not  been  true  of  my  beloved  brother,  and 
will  not  be  true,  if  he  should  hold  on  as  long  as  Dr. 
Gay,  of  Hingham,  who  preached  from  the  text,  "  I  am 
this  day  four-score  and  five  years  old,"  and  then  held 
on  some  years  more,  and  was  translated  so  that  he 
should  not  see  death,  as  the  bell  chimed  for  his  ser- 
vice on  a  Sunday  morning.  I  count  it  almost  a  mis- 
fortune that  I  cannot  be  with  you.  Why  did  you 
plant  your  radiant  city  so  far  away  ?  But  the  best 
blessing  I  have  to  my  name  I  send,  and  congratula- 
tions —  with  the  prayer  that  I  may  see  you  some  day, 
and  say  all  to  his  face  and  yours,  which  is  in  my 
heart  as  I  write. 

From  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Sawyer,  D.D. 

I  cannot  forbear,  among  the  flood  of  congratulations 
which  will  pour  in  upon  you,  to  tell  you  how  much  I 
rejoice  in  you  and  your  work,  during  this  quarter  of  a 
century  —  and,  indeed,  your  whole  ministry  now  of 
nearly  twice  that  time.     It  is  now  forty-five  years,  I 


290  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

suppose,  since  we  first  met  —  you,  a  young  man,  just 
beginning  life  in  the  great  world ;  I  with  a  dozen  or 
fifteen  years'  advantage  of  you  in  experience,  and 
more  probably  in  age ;  but  we  have  both  lived  to 
witness  great  changes,  not  only  in  our  personal 
history,  but  in  our  beloved  church,  and  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  country.  For  the  eminent  services 
you  have  rendered  to  the  great  cause  to  which  both 
our  lives  have  been  devoted,  I  thank  you.  May  God 
bless  you,  and  long  continue  your  life  and  usefulness ! 

From  Eev.  F.  0.  Holman,  B.B.,  First  Methodist  Church, 
St,  Paul 

St.  Paul,  July  7,  1891. 
It  has  not  been  my  fortune  to  know  Dr.  Tuttle  per- 
sonally, but  the  man  who  has  retained  the  enthu- 
siastic affection  of  his  church  and  congregation  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  and  who  has  so  preached  right- 
eousness in  the  gi-eat  congregation,  and  so  lived  it  in 
public  and  private  life  that  his  name  is  honored  by 
good  men  of  all  creeds  and  confessions  —  such  a  man 
belongs  not  alone  to  his  friends  and  neighbors,  but  to 
all  who  have  felt  the  benediction  of  his  wide-spread 
influence.  Hence,  I,  too,  may  claim  the  right  to  pay 
my  tribute.  In  these  days  of  conflicting  creeds  and 
many-colored  views  of  truth,  it  is  a  delight  to  turn 
from  human  speculations  and  guesses  at  truth,  and 
rest  in  the  truth  itself,  as  it  is  incarnated  in  a  righteous 
life  and  a  godly  character.  May  Dr.  Tuttle  long  live 
to  enjoy  the  love  and  veneration  of  the  church  to 
which  he  has  ministered  and  of  the  city  which  his 
residence  has  honored. 


APPENDIX  291 


Letter  on  the  Death  of  Father  Throop 

Minneapolis,  Minn.,  March  23,  1894. 

My  dear  Dr.  Conger  :  Your  telegram  bringing  the 
sad  and  wholly  unexpected  news  of  Brother  Throop's 
death  is  this  moment  received.  What  shall  I  say  ? 
I  cannot  express  my  sorrow.  I  mourn  with  you, 
with  the  family,  with  our  church  in  Pasadena,  with 
all  the  people  in  California,  in  Chicago,  and  else- 
where, who  knew  that  good  and  noble  man. 

To  know  him  was  to  love  him.  He  was  one  of  the 
best  and  truest  of  friends  the  world  has  ever  had.  He 
was  one  of  my  best  and  truest  friends.  Our  acquaint- 
ance was  very  intimate,  and  it  lasted  more  than  thirty 
years.  I  have  admired  and  loved  few  men,  if  any, 
more  than  he.  I  saw  him  in  prosperity  and  in  adver- 
sity, and  he  was  always  the  same  grand,  loyal,  upright 
man.  Is  it  possible  that  I  shall  not  on  this  earth 
look  into  his  honest  face  again,  nor  feel  the  pressure 
of  his  warm,  manly  hand  ?  But  I  must  remember 
his  strong,  unwavering  Christian  faith,  his  solid  belief 
in  immortality,  in  a  blessed  reunion  of  all  God's 
children  in  the  world  to  come. 

I  must  try  to  imitate  his  faith  and  say,  God's 
will  be  done.  Farewell,  my  dear  brother.  "  Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth ; 
yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them."  God  bless 
and  comfort  you  all.  I  can  hardly  resist  going  to 
Pasadena  to-night.     But  I  am  not  well  .  .  .  and  it 


292  JAMES  H.   TUTTLE 

seems  almost  impossible  to  leave.  I  feel  as  though  I 
must  be  with  you,  and  yet  that  I  cannot.  Love  to 
all. 

In  haste,  in  sorrow,  but  truly,     J.  H.  Tuttle. 

XI 
Lake  Minnetonka 

(From  a  letter  by  Dr.  Tuttle  to  the  Vniversalist) 
About  a  dozen  miles  west  of  Minneapolis,  there  is 
a  handsome  body  of  water,  or  a  body  of  water  hand- 
somely set,  called  Minnetonka  Lake.  The  name  is 
Indian,  and  signifies  Big  Water.  .  .  .  Few  lakes  any- 
where excel  it  in  beauty.  It  is  difficult  to  estimate 
its  size,  it  is  so  irregular,  has  so  many  arms  and  bays, 
but  it  may  be  briefly  described  as  being  twenty  miles 
in  length,  and  from  one  to  five  miles  in  width.  If 
one  should  undertake  to  measure  its  endlessly  deviat- 
ing shores  with  a  rowboat,  one  would  have  a  prodig- 
ious task  on  hand,  and  yet  an  agreeable  task,  if 
given  leisure  and  strength  for  it,  since  the  continual 
succession  of  charming  views  would  more  than  com- 
pensate for  the  weariness  encountered  in  such  a  voy- 
age. Minnetonka  has  no  resemblance  to  Lake 
George,  nor  to  that  paragon  of  small  waters.  Lake 
Como,  in  Italy.  It  lacks  in  ruggedness  of  outline. 
It  has  no  mountain  background,  no  high,  bold  cliffs 
hanging  over  it,  no  wild  forest  approaches.  It  has  a 
few  lovely  islands  and  considerable  wooded  shores. 
Five  points  of  land  jut  into  it  here  and  there.  It  has 
some  quiet  pools  and  secluded  nooks.  It  is  beautiful, 
very  beautiful,  but  its  beauty  is  of  a  soft,  mild  type. 


APPENDIX  293 

XII 
A  Letter  to  Mrs.  Hannah  Taylor 

January  23,  1902. 
"  The  arrows  of  death  have  been  flying  thick  in 
Minneapolis,  recently.  The  old  friends  are  passing 
rapidly  away.  I  was  shocked,  more  than  shocked,  at 
Mr.  Peavey's  and  Harvey  Brown's  death.  So  we  pass 
one  by  one  —  and  to  a  better,  happier  world,  I  hope 
and  believe." 

XIII 
From  a  Letter  to  Rev.  A.  R.  Tillinghast 

New  York,  Oct.  26,  1903. 
My  dear  Mr.  Tillinghast  :  I  was  so  nervous, 
excited,  and  wrought  up,  when  I  saw  you,  that  I 
could  not  say  what  I  wanted.  The  thought  of  the 
times  I  had  in  the  Tuttle  church,  the  years  I  worked 
for  it,  the  anxieties  I  had  for  it  one  way  or  another, 
completely  upset  me.  I  hope  you  understand  it  all. 
It  was  very  kind  of  you  to  come  over  and  bring  the 
key,  and  show  me  the  church.  I  should  have,  and 
intended  to  have,  thanked  you  for  it.  I  did  not  look 
the  church  over  as  thoroughly  as  I  should  have  liked, 
but  I  saw  enough  to  be  very  much  pleased  with  what 
you  have  done.  It  is  certainly  wonderfully  improved 
by  the  cushions  and  the  organ  —  especially  the  latter. 
It  looks  fine.  You  should  all  be  congratulated.  I 
am  so  grateful  that  Mrs.  Kimball  has  taken  such  an 
interest  in  the  church  and  done  so  much.     She  has 


294  JAMES  H.    TUTTLE 

rendered  inestimable  aid.  .  .  .  Please  remember  me 
warmly  to  the  dear  friends  in  the  church.  ...  I 
hope  and  pray  that  your  fine  success  with  the  church 
will  continue.  I  heard  good  things  of  you  and  yours 
on  all  sides. 

Sincerely  yours,  J.  H.  Tuttle. 


Srsityofillinois-ukbana 


cool 


SKmES  HARVEY  TUTTLE.BOST 


3  0112  025409613 


